Memphis Heat Wave Kills Two More

Two more deaths in the Memphis area have been linked to continued high temperatures across the South. The two deaths have brought the area death toll to five within a six-day period.

Temperatures in the city have hit triple-digit highs for five consecutive days. Tuesday the temperature rose to at least 100 degrees and the National Weather Service predicts this trend will continue through Friday. Rising humidity through the rest of the week will make the temperatures more unbearable.

"It's going to be nasty hot," National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Beal said.

The two latest victims of the heat wave were a 75-year-old man living in a home with no air-conditioning and a 77-year-old woman who was found in her backyard where she had been gardening. Many people are underestimating the strength of the heat and the consequences of spending prolonged periods of time outside.

Three others have died from heat-related causes this summer. These include a 70-year-old woman, a 46-year-old woman, and a 54 year-old woman. This is an increase from last summer when only two heat-related deaths were recorded in the area.

Four of the five deaths so far occurred in houses that lacked air-conditioning and were cooled only by box fans if they had any cooling source at all.

The deaths highlight the importance of checking on vulnerable neighbors, people who are elderly or have chronic illnesses, and those without air-conditioning. Memphis Police and health department officials have encouraged residents to check on their neighbors during the week to make sure they are prepared for the high temperatures.

Residents in Memphis without air-conditioning are encouraged to go to libraries, malls, community centers, or other air-conditioned places to wait out the heat during the day.

This heat wave comes at an unfortunate time while thousands of visitors are in the city for Elvis Week, the celebration of the 30^th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. To help make the high temperatures more bearable, organizers for the event have set up free water and ice stations for the fans that have converged at Graceland.

The National Weather Service for the Memphis area has issued an excessive heat warning for the city and surrounding area and a heat advisory for the rest of West Tennessee.

Residents in the area are being asked by local government officials to conserve water after cities recorded record use of water. Several cities have also banned outdoor burning since the drought that has left the area 13 inches behind annual rainfall.