Swathes of Canada and US are baking under a historic heatwave.
Recording unprecedented temperatures with mercury touching a never-seen-before high of 50 degrees as some places.
So what has turned the region into a cauldron in the past one week...
Experts have scientists have blamed the scorching heat on a phenomenon called the heat dome.
According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of US department of commerce, a heat dome occurs when the atmosphere traps hot ocean air like a lid or cap.
Experts say that a heat dome typically last about a week.
A heat dome can have extreme impact on people living without air conditioning.
The temperatures of their homes rise to unbearably high, leading to sudden fatalities like those which are being reported in Canada and parts of the US. Canada has seen over 200 sudden deaths in four days which are being linked to a sudden rise in temperatures. Experts say that the trapping of heat can also damage crops, dry out vegetation and result in droughts
The sweltering heat wave also leads to a sudden rise in power demand... Many parts of the US have been suffering grueling power blackouts...