At least a dozen high-temperature records were broken or broken across the eastern United States in the recent heat wave

Atlanta, Georgia, set its record on June 22 with 98 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday, while Macon about 80 miles south set a new heat record for the day with 105 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

Atlanta Zoo announced on its website, it would close early Wednesday and Thursday due to “extremely high heat indices.” The care teams in the zoo will monitor and control all animal habitats several times during the day to ensure their safety, zoo spokeswoman Rachel Davis told CNN.

Nashville recorded its first day with 100 degrees for the first time in nearly a decade, according to the weather service. The city also broke its temperature record for the date of June 22, reporting 101 degrees shortly before noon. 15.00 said.

At least a dozen high-temperature records were broken or broken across the eastern United States from Arkansas to the Carolinas – all the way to New York.

Part of widespread extreme weather

It is the second heatwave in as many weeks in many parts of the country. A huge heat dome across the eastern United States and Midwest created record highs in several cities last week. And other parts of the country met extreme weather including historic flood, forest fires and severe storms.

And there is no relief in sight.

The heat in the South and Plains is expected to continue to build over the coming days, and much of the region is expected to see more records. said.

About 65% of the U.S. population will see temperatures above 90 degrees over the next week, and nearly 55 million will swell in temperatures at or above 100 degrees.

New Orleans officials have warned that the heat index could be as high as 115 degrees this week, and the city has set up several cooling shelters.

The region felt the heat on Wednesday. In the afternoon, Pascagoula and Slidell had both hit 100 degrees, while Baton Rouge and Gulfport thermometers recorded 98 degrees, the weather service in New Orleans said on Twitter.

At least five people died

At least five people died of heat-related causes last week – four in Georgia and one in Tennessee.

Electric companies in the south, investigated by CNN, said earlier that they were prepared for this week’s heat wave.

“This is our ‘Super Bowl’ that we’re preparing for all year,” Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) spokesman Scott Fiedler said in a statement to CNN. “TVA is extremely well positioned to meet the power demand in this week’s hot weather. As you know, temperature and load go hand in hand. So we should see high loads the rest of this week.”

CNN’s Taylor Ward and Devon Sayers contributed to this report.