As temperatures spiked on Monday, Langley RCMP and other first responders were called to a wave of sudden deaths.
Eight people, all over the age of 70, were reported as sudden deaths on Monday, said Cpl. Holly Largy, spokesperson for the Langley RCMP.
There was only one similar sudden death recorded over the weekend.
The cause of the deaths has not yet been determined, but eight sudden deaths is a very high number for one day, Largy confirmed.
Monday saw all-time temperature records broken in Metro Vancouver and across much of the province.
Other communities around the Lower Mainland are also seeing high numbers of sudden deaths, mostly among seniors.
On Tuesday, Burnaby RCMP reported 25 sudden deaths had taken place in the previous 24 hours. Causes of the deaths were under investigation, but heat was believed to be a contributing factor in the majority of the deaths, and many of the dead were seniors.
First responders and government agencies have been urging people to check on family members, neighbours, and senior friends to ensure they are holding up during the extreme heat that blanketed the Lower Mainland from Friday through to Tuesday.
Temperatures eased somewhat on Tuesday and were expected to decline a bit more as the week progressed.
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