Eateries closed, air-cons sold out as heatwave blisters US North-west
PORTLAND: Temperatures soared on Sunday to an all-time high of 44 deg C in Oregon's largest city as a record heatwave blistered the Pacific North-west, sparking a run on ice and air-conditioners, and forcing many restaurants and bars to close.
Multnomah County, encompassing the US city of Portland, opened 11 emergency "cooling shelters", most of them in public libraries, where residents without air-conditioning could escape the heat.
"This is life-threatening heat," county health officer Jennifer Vines said in a statement.
Governor Kate Brown eased Covid-19 crowd restrictions for cinemas, swimming pools and shopping malls ahead of the heatwave.
Pools proved a popular choice for many seeking to cool off on Sunday, as did some public fountains.
The extreme heat was attributed to a dome of atmospheric high pressure over the upper United States North-west and Canada, similar to conditions that hit California and south-western states a week earlier.
Excessive-heat warnings were posted across Oregon and Washington, stretching into Idaho, California and Nevada.
In Portland, a city known for rainy weather and little sunshine, many stores were sold out of air-cons and fans.
Several of the city's restaurant and bar districts were devoid of patrons on Sunday as the extreme heat prompted many eateries to close.
"The dining room might be comfortable, but the kitchen can reach dangerous conditions," said Mr Dave Bortelo, the owner of the Haymaker bar and grill, who had closed his outlet. - REUTERS
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