1. Home
  2. Knowledge Base | PreventionWeb
  3. Hazards
  4. Hazard: Heatwaves, extreme heat and heat stress

Extreme heat case studies

This page presents case studies of extreme heat events and responses from different regions and contexts.

The examples illustrate how heat risks have been experienced, managed, and addressed around the world. They highlight impacts and showcase valuable lessons learned. Together, they provide practical insights to inform preparedness, planning, and risk reduction efforts for future heat events.

In 2022 alone, Portugal lost over 2,000 lives to extreme heat. In response, Amadora, a UNDRR Making Cities Resilient Resilience Hub, has taken bold steps to protect its people.
Uploaded on
Case study
Australia
Telecross Redi: Heatwave service
Extreme weather events pose significant risks to vulnerable populations, especially those isolated. In response to this challenge, Telecross Redi, a free life-saving service, was developed to support individuals during such critical times.
  • Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC)
Case study
Canada
Augmenting syndromic surveillance for real-time situational awareness during extreme heat events in Ottawa, Canada
PHIMS provides a web- and map-based display of both real-time and static data of relevance to emergency management and public health.
  • Commission for Environmental Cooperation
Case study
Hong Kong (China)
Heat health in Hong Kong: Overview of collaborations and projects to protect health from urban heat
This case study provides an overview of the active heat health collaborations, projects and research ongoing in Hong Kong and presented during the First Global Forum on Heat and Health.
  • Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN)
Case study
Senegal
Heatwaves in Senegal
A lack of integration between the Senegalese meteorological service and the Ministry of Health hampered effective early warning systems for heatwaves, leading to a gap that failed to mitigate adverse health impacts during extreme weather events.
  • Rockefeller Foundation, the
Case study
Portugal
Portugal heatwave, 2022 - Forensic analysis
During the spring and summer of 2022, Portugal experienced more than four distinct heatwaves, the most severe of which ran from July 2 to July 18. This exceptional event killed almost 2,400 people and triggered several devastating forest fires.
  • United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)
Uploaded on