Egypt says heat wave death toll climbs to 106

Israel having hottest August since 2010 as extreme temperatures continue to sweep across the region

By AP and ToI Staff 18 August 2015, 7:02 pm

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A holiday-maker takes a shower at a beach in Suez, 127 kilometers (79 miles) east of Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2015 as temperatures soar across the region. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

The searing heat wave that is currently sending temperatures soaring the Middle East has killed 106 people in Egypt since last week, the country’s state-run news agency said Tuesday.

The news agency quoted the Health Ministry as saying that eight people had died Monday, most of them elderly, due to the extreme heat.

The Middle East has been suffering from a heat wave since late July. Egyptian summers are usually hot, but temperatures this week rose to 46 degrees Celsius (114 degrees Fahrenheit) in the country’s south. Temperatures started to decline in the north of the country Monday, but are expected to remain high in the south over the next few days.

Those who died include eight patients at a psychiatric hospital north of Cairo and three detainees in a jail, according to officials.

Meanwhile, the Israel Meteorological Service on Tuesday reported the current heatwave hitting the region made this month Israel’s hottest August since 2010.

This week, temperatures across Israel rose above 38°C (100°F). The Sea of Galilee shore town of Tzemach experiences heat of 44°C (111°F) degrees, while the temperature in the Jordan Valley settlement of Gilgal reached 46°C (115°F), according to Israel’s Ynet website.