At least 17 die in US East Coast Heat Wave
Pastor Dale Morgan
At least 17 die in US East Coast Heat Wave*
Published: June 11, 2008 at 8:51 PM
PHILADELPHIA, June 11 (UPI) -- The deaths of 17 people -- mostly elderly
-- were attributed to the heat wave that baked the U.S. East Coast this
week, authorities said Wednesday.
Nine deaths were reported in Philadelphia and a neighboring suburb,
while six occurred in New York City and two in the Baltimore area,
officials said.
The Philadelphia medical examiner's office said eight people ages 65-90
died of heat-related causes, WTXF-TV reported. A ninth Pennsylvanian, a
65-year-old man died of sunstroke while sunbathing in the Philadelphia
suburb of Pottstown, the TV station reported.
The New York City medical examiner's office said five of the six heat
victims were more than 70 years old with five of them found in their
homes, NY1 News reported.
The Maryland Health and Mental Hygiene Department said the heat claimed
the lives of a 79-year-old Anne Arundel County man and a 65-year-old
Prince George's County man this week, ABC2 in Baltimore reported. One of
the men reportedly had been pushing a lawnmower. The health officials
say both died of heart disease complicated by hyperthermia, the TV
station reported.
Temperatures in the region reached into the 90s at times over the past
four days with humidity pushing the heat index over 100 degrees.