Heat indices will top out at 113 degrees around Lafayette Parish this week, according to the National Weather Service. NWS issued a heat advisory for the area.
Catholic Charities of Acadiana is running a cooling center out of St. Joseph Diner, extending hours of operation into the early evening when temperatures drop.
Lafayette Parish has recorded 55 heat-related emergency room visits so far this year, according to the Louisiana Department of Health’s heat illness dashboard.
More on heat
Local and state officials are beginning to treat summer heat like hurricanes: a deadly and seasonal threat.
Providers warn the duration of this summer’s record-breaking heatwave is exacerbating health problems and poses a heightened risk all on its own.
Despite extreme heat being the No. 1 cause of death among weather events, more deadly than hurricanes, or floods and tornadoes combined, institutional protections from it often fall short.