Unusually heavy rains and flooding in southern Egypt has disturbed the habitat of scorpions, resulting in hundreds of stings and at least three fatalities.
A surprise thunderstorm starting Friday in the city of Aswan, in southern Egypt, led to the arachnids being washed into the streets, according to local health ministry undersecretary Ehab Hanafy, Ahram Online reported.
#Egypt : Health official in Aswan has told BBC that the heavy thunder & hail storm there washed scorpions into the streets & people’s homes - causing 400 people to be stung - in the rains scorpions seek refuge anywhere they can… #أسوان #مِصر
— sebastian usher (@sebusher) November 13, 2021
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Aswan typically gets less than a quarter of an inch of rain a year, but the unusual precipitation also reportedly included snowfall.
Scorpions generally hide in crevices and under rocks during the day and emerge at night to hunt small lizards and insects.
No details have been released on the dead as yet.
It's also not entirely clear which species is responsible for the attacks, but Egypt is home to a variety — including the deadly Arabian fat-tailed scorpion, or Androctonus crassicauda.
A. Crassicauda's venom contains a neurotoxin that causes intense pain, redness and swelling in the immediate area of the sting, which can be followed by shock, blurry vision and potentially fatal respiratory and heart malfunctions.
Without proper care and anti-venom, an adult can die just an hour after getting stung.
More than 500 injuries due to scorpion stings have been reported, according to the Associated Press, with surviving victims released after receiving a dose of anti-venom.
Aswan is a popular tourist and commercial center just north of the Aswan Dam on the east bank of the Nile, with a population of approximately 1.57 million.
Aswan governor Ashraf Attia closed highways temporarily on Friday and Saturday due to poor visibility and suspended boat traffic on the Nile from Aswan to Edfu, and in Lake Nasser, but normal vessel traffic was restored later on Saturday.
The heavy rains also knocked down trees and utility poles, led to power failures in the area, and pushed snakes out of their hiding spots, as well.
According to Hanafy, hospitals in the region have been put on high alert and extra doses of scorpion anti-venom have been provided to medical facilities in rural villages near the desert and mountains.
Doctors have also been recalled from vacation and COVID-19 vaccination units to help respond to the disaster.
Scorpions have infested Egypt’s southern city of Aswan, killing three people and stinging more than 400
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) November 14, 2021
According to local media, the mass scorpion attack was caused by severe thunderstorms in the city in recent days
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Fat-tailed scorpions typically live three to eight years, and are typically found in arid regions in the Middle East and North Africa.
The four-inch critters often make their homes in abandoned human dwellings, which made them a particular danger during the first Gulf War.
A female can lay up to 100 eggs in a single litter.
Fat-tailed scorpions generally prey on cockroaches, grasshoppers, spiders, lizards, and even other scorpions, but they will sting humans if threatened.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
