LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — This summer has been not only brutal, but also deadly, with numerous record-breaking hot days.

So far this summer, 123 heat-related deaths have been reported in Clark County, but summer is far from over.

It is taking its toll on our community’s most vulnerable populations, as many do anything they can to escape the heat.

“I can’t take this anymore,” said Kimmy Kennison, a homeless woman living in Las Vegas.

As the desert sun beats down on Las Vegas in the summer, staying in the shade is more than just cooling off, she said – it’s a matter of survival.

Below the city, some can escape the heat.

“If you went exactly where the sun is, it would be murderous,” Kennison said.

I spoke with Kennison before she went into the flood control tunnels near the Strip. There are miles of tunnels under the Las Vegas metropolitan area that were built to drain water.

Some people call this their home, like Kennison, who uses these tunnels to escape the relentless sun.

“I almost ended up in the hospital four times because of heat exhaustion,” Kennison said.

This year, Las Vegas experienced the hottest July ever, reaching a record high of 49 degrees Celsius on July 7.

It was also fatal.

As mentioned above, Clark County reported in mid-August that heat played a role in 123 deaths in Southern Nevada. Other combined factors in these deaths included drug use or medical problems.

The list is expected to grow even longer throughout the summer.

“I’ve lost four friends so far this year alone, all within a matter of months,” Kennison said.

Brent Nowak is from Shine A Light, an organization that helps the homeless in the underground flood channels of Las Vegas. Nowak specializes in helping homeless people suffering from substance abuse.

He said it was up to 20 degrees cooler underground.

WATCH HERE: Brent Nowak takes Joe deeper into the underground flood channels and shows the conditions in which many homeless people seek shelter from the summer heat.

A walk through the underground tunnels of Las Vegas where homeless people find shelter from extreme heat

Although Clark County opens cooling centers during extreme temperatures, getting there requires braving the heat.

The most valuable commodity here – water.

“It’s not easy to get water when you live out here and have to drink 10 to 15 bottles a day,” Nowak said.

Now in August, the greatest fear is of underground flooding, especially during the monsoon season.

“As far as flooding goes, we all have phones so we can keep an eye on the weather,” Kennison said.

Are you ready for summer to be over?

“Absolutely,” said Kennison. “I’m over the summer.”

WATCH | Brent Nowak explains the many challenges facing the homeless that go beyond the summer heat.

Beneath Las Vegas lives an entire community that faces more than just the summer heat