2 Hikers Found Dead in Nevada State Park as Temperatures Reached 114 Degrees

Several hikers who saw the women enter the park became concerned when the duo did not return, authorities said

Two hikers were found dead at a Nevada state park on Saturday, according to authorities.

A group of hikers saw the women, who have not been publicly identified, enter the Valley of Fire State Park on Saturday morning and then became concerned when they noticed the duo did not return, according to CNN, the Associated Press and CBS affiliate KLAS-TV.

One of the members of the group contacted the Nevada State Park Police about a welfare check just before 3 p.m. local time, per the outlets.

After responding, police found the body of one of the women along a trail inside the park.

Related: Man Dies After Collapsing Outside Restroom in Death Valley National Park amid 121-Degree Heat

The department then reached out to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s search and rescue team, which later discovered another victim inside a canyon, per the outlets.

According to the National Weather Service, the temperature in Overton, where the park is located, reached 114 degrees on Saturday, CNN reported. Most of southern Nevada remains under an excessive heat warning as of Monday.

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While a cause of death for the women is currently unknown, the deaths coincide with a string of recent deaths that may have been caused by excessive heat.

Just last week, a 71-year-old man died at a nearby Death Valley National Park trailhead from a possible heat-related death as temperatures reached 121 degrees. On July 3, a 65-year-old man was found dead inside a car with two flat tires and a broken air conditioning system in Death Valley.

The Clark County Coroner's Office confirmed last week that Las Vegas has seen 16 confirmed heat-related deaths, though the number could be higher, per ABC affiliate KNTV-TV.

Related: 57-Year-Old Woman Found Dead After Hiking Grand Canyon in 100-Degree Heat

On average, about 702 heat-related deaths are recorded in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Heat-related illnesses include cardiovascular and respiratory issues, renal failure, electrolyte imbalance, kidney stones, preterm birth and more.

Heat-related deaths are oftentimes due to heat stroke and other related conditions, as well as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cerebrovascular disease, which impact blood flow to the brain, the CDC says.

Park officials and the LVPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. CNN reported the deaths are under investigation.

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