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Heat Waves: Social and Economic Impact
- Costs and losses to agricultural producers
- Excessive heat in combination with drought can result in crop loss
- Increased water consumption for irrigation
- Costs and losses to livestock producers
- Reduced milk production by dairy cattle
- Heat stress and possible loss of livestock
- Increased water consumption by livestock
- Loss from fishery production
- Low dissolved oxygen levels resulting in fish kills
- Urban, residential, and commercial impacts
- Excessive heat in combination with drought can result in the loss of trees and woody bushes
- Increased consumption of water
- Health
- Mental and physical stress
- Sunburn
- Heat cramps
- Heat exhaustion
- Heat stroke or sun stroke
- Respiratory ailments due to increased air pollution
- Increased conflicts, including "road rage"
- General economic effects
- Short term
- Increased energy consumption
- Decreased productivity of workers
- Increased rate of failure of vehicles and machinery
- Increased demand for public services, including police, fire, and emergency medical services
- Long term
- Limitations on economic development due increased levels of temperature-related air pollution from industrialization and increased urbanization
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