Authorities are still searching for about 20 individuals who are thought to have fallen into the river, hours after the massive cargo ship slammed with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday. Experts are explaining how the frigid water is putting their lives in jeopardy.
The publication was informed by CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam that “the temperature inside the water and on land is impacting the search operation.” People in the water and the circumstances there are also being impacted by it.”
According to Van Dam, the Patapsco River has a water temperature of 48°F and an air temperature of about 46°F. He also stated that “the air is colder than water and even 50°F does not sound too cold but it can be deadly.”
“Cold water drains body heat around four times faster than cold air,” he stated.
The data indicates that individuals spend one to three hours in the water.
Experts are concerned about cold shocks and hypothermia because they can occur when the body is exposed to cold water without proper protection.
The Baltimore City Fire Department’s director of communications, Kevin Cartwright, had earlier reported that the port’s temperature felt to be about 30°F (-1°C) at 1:30 am ET.
At least two persons have been recovered thus far, according to Chief James Wallace of the Baltimore Fire Department; one of them is thought to be uninjured, while the other has serious injuries.
Wallace stated that although officials are now looking for twenty persons, they may be looking for up to seven.
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