heat sun

New state figures show at least 107 people succumbed to the harsh heat and sun that bore down on the Pacific Northwest from June 25 to June 28.

At its peak, temperatures reached a record-shattering 116 degrees in the Portland metro area.

The new tally provided by the Oregon State Police on July 6 provides no identifying details beyond the age, gender and county of residence of those who died — a stark listing of demographics that offers few hints of the human tragedy that unfolded.

A majority of the deathts, 67, occurred in Multnomah County; 11 were reported in Clackamas County and nine in Washington County.

Marion County, which hosts the state’s capitol as well as numerous agricultural areas, reported 13 deaths. Two deaths each were reported in Deschutes and Linn counties.

One death each was reported in Umatilla, Columbia and Polk counties.

“Last week’s record-breaking heat wave is a harbinger of things to come,” said Gov. Kate Brown. “Climate change is real, and it is here. We’ve been working to make sure Oregonians are prepared for these types of emergencies — and we’ll keep at it, centering the voices of those most impacted in our efforts.”

Meteorologists warned that extreme weather events are likely to continue.

“For years now, scientists have warned that climate change will be accompanied by more extreme weather events. Two examples of this are the record setting Oregon snow and ice storms of February of 2021 and the Great Pacific Northwest Heat Wave of June 2021. These types of extreme weather events are likely to continue into the future,” said KOIN 6 Meteorologist Steve Pierce, who is also president of the Portland Area Chapter of the American Meteorological Society.

Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury has promised a detailed investigation into the climate deaths, though she and other officials said it was too soon to know exactly how many of the dead were unhoused.

Most of the people who died from the heat were over the age of 60. At least two of those who died were in their 90s, 12 in their 80s, 26 in their 70s, 37 in their 60s, 20 in their 50s, seven in their 40s and two in their 30s.