Despite deadly heatwave, Death Valley is full of tourists

It is a hotspot in many ways.

Tourists from all over the world are flocking to Death Valley despite the scorching temperatures in the region, where one death has already been recorded.

In fact, the notorious drought-prone region, which straddles the Nevada-California border, attracted hundreds of people from France, Spain, Britain and other far-flung places, AP reported.

The pilgrims were reportedly not deterred by the scorching temperatures at this tourist destination, which also happens to be the lowest point in North America.

Meteorologists predicted last week that the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth of 56.4 degrees Celsius (recorded in Death Valley in July 1913) would be surpassed, but it is still unclear whether this milestone has actually been surpassed.

For many guests, the potentially record-breaking heat was the main reason for visiting this potentially deadly attraction.

“I was excited that it was going to be so hot,” Drew Belt, a tourist from Tupelo, Mississippi, who planned to stop in Death Valley on his way to Mount Whitney in California, told AP. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Kind of like walking on Mars.”

In other words, this desolate hellscape has become too hot for tourists to withstand. Whenever meteorologists predict record temperatures for the area, they make a pilgrimage to Death Valley.

Unfortunately, visitors may be playing with fire. Mike Reynolds, director of Death Valley National Park, warned potential Icaruses in a warning that “such intense heat can pose a real threat to your health.”

On Saturday, an unidentified motorcyclist died from heat exposure while riding through Death Valley with five other motorcyclists.

This came amid an unprecedented heat wave that saw temperatures reach triple digits across the U.S. and authorities issued heat advisories for 136 million people across the country.

The lion’s share of those affected lived in the West, where dozens of hotspots reached or exceeded their heat records over the weekend.

Meanwhile, hot and humid temperatures are expected to continue in the Northeast, with New York City’s thermometer set to rise above 90 degrees for the fifth day in a row today.