Australia has recorded 354 positive bird flu events in wildlife, including 203 in South Australia, according to official figures.
From landslides and earthquakes to typhoons and catastrophic flooding, natural disasters have claimed hundreds of lives across Asia since start of 2026.
As estimates so far have been conservative, this total of this year's heat-related deaths total could go even higher, say health officials.
'A few days or even weeks of wetter weather cannot reverse the impacts of several months of exceptionally dry conditions,' warns Environment Agency.
Average temperature reaches 19.3C, surpassing previous record set in 2018.