Three people have died and 500 others wereinjured after being stung by scorpions in the city of Aswan, according toofficials.
The Aswan region was hit by hail storms andheavy rain, which forced scorpions out of their burrows and into the streetsand people's houses.
"Egypt's fat-tailed scorpions areconsidered to be among the most deadly in the world. Venom from a blackfat-tail can kill humans in under an hour if left untreated. Symptoms relatedvenomous scorpion stings can include difficulty breathing, muscle twitching andunusual head movements." — Middle East Monitor
The storms forced scorpions from their hidingplaces into many houses across the province, Gov. Ashraf Attia said. He said atleast 503 people were hospitalized after suffering scorpion stings and that allof them were discharged after they were given anti-venom doses.
Health Minister Khalid Abdel-Ghafar said in astatement that no deaths were reported from scorpion stings.
A health official told Al-Ahram news agencythat extra doses of anti-venom have been provided to medical centres invillages near mountains and deserts. Hospitals across the region are on high alert;doctors have been recalled from holiday.
Photos and video footage circulated on socialmedia showed flooded streets and damaged houses, vehicles and agricultural farms.
People have been urged to stay at home andavoid places with many trees. The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) saidthe poor weather is likely to continue for the next 24 hours.
Authorities issued temporary roadand travel restrictions and ordered schools to be closed.