1 heat-related death reported in New York City on day 5 of heat wave
NEW YORK -- One heat-related death was reported in New York City on Saturday as temperatures approached 100 degrees for the fifth day of this heat wave.
The New York City medical examiner's office did not release details surrounding the death, but said it was caused by hyperthermia due to environmental exposure.
Heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States, and health officials are advising people to limit strenuous activities outdoors and find ways to stay cool.
For people who may not have air conditioning, designated cooling centers can be found across the boroughs. Jenny Rodriguez has been taking advantage.
"I always tell people that I know, even people in my building, oh, you know, come to the senior center. We have air conditioning there every single day. We sing, we dance, we enjoy ourselves ... Why are you stuck in the house?" she said.
- Click here to find a cooling center or here to find a public pool or call 311.
People found different ways to deal with the heat.
New Yorkers trying to cool off in the water at Rockaway Beach were forced back to dry land after a shark sighting.
"They kicked everyone out of the water on Tuesday. They kicked everyone out of the water today because apparently they saw ... a family of sharks," Brooklyn resident Ammar Munassar said.
"All of a sudden you see helicopters and police, you know, this and that. It was a lot of commotion going on," Howard Beach resident Stavros Giannopoulos said.
Under the blazing sun, the water looked tempting, but Rockaway Beach temporarily closed for swimming.
"I had a friend text me, like when I told her I was going to the beach, and she said to be careful for sharks. She's like, 'There's been a lot of sightings,' so, and then of course, there was one today," Bedford-Stuyvesant resident Olivia Santos said.
As CBS2's Alecia Reid reports, some visitors decided to brave the waters nonetheless. There have been a number of shark sightings and attacks in recent weeks.
"I know that there's been shark sightings, but you can't sacrifice your summer. You go up to your waist, you're good, and then you rely on the lifeguards to let you know when you need to get out of the water," Chelsea resident Ian Frageorgia said.
READ MORE: Teen surfer attacked by shark 60 feet off Kismet Beach on Fire Island
Sunday is expected to be even hotter.
A heat related death confirmed in #NYC. Please take tomorrow’s heat seriously - hottest day of the heatwave. 20% chance for storms to cool us off. #RedAlert @CBSNewYork pic.twitter.com/ubH3CLMI8L
— Vanessa Murdock (@VMurdockTV) July 24, 2022
Keeping participants, volunteers, law enforcement and spectators in mind, New York City Triathlon organizers have decided to shorten the event. The bike portion will decreased to 12.4 miles and the run will be down to 2.5 miles.
"Extra water, and we have medical staff on site just in case anything does happen. We've got trained professionals here," said Jessica Feldman.
Watch Christina Fan's report
People taking part in a yoga class Saturday morning in Central Park said they were looking for ways to stay cool.
"I get to move my body and breathe. I really enjoy it and the heat kind of elevates it a little bit," Steven Lynn told CBS2's Christina Fan.
For people who decide to stay home, officials are urging, limit your electricity usage. Over 100 power outages were reported on Saturday.
"So what I'll do is I'll turn on my AC, cover my windows, have my AC on for like an hour, turn it off for a little bit until it gets too hot, and then turn it back on," Upper West Side resident Teddi Welch said.
"I think our plans are to go to the movie theater tomorrow, definitely stay cool that way," Upper West Side resident Anna Belle Hindenling said.
Sunday's heat advisory will extend to 8 p.m. Outdoor pools will have extended hours through that time.