October 5, 2003	Sunday	Sha’aban 8, 1424

LONDON: The death toll in England and Wales caused by record temperatures during the ten-day heatwave in August may have topped 2,000, according to official figures released on Friday, suggesting that casualties were much higher than admitted at the time.

The UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) said between August 4 and 13 there were 15,187 deaths in England and Wales, 2,045 above the average for the past five years.

Although the statisticians were not yet able to provide an analysis of the ages of the victims and causes of death, it seemed almost certain that extreme heat was the reason for the higher mortality.

Temperatures peaked on August 10 in Brogdale, near Faversham, Kent, south east of London, where 38.5C (101.3F) was recorded. The ONS estimated that on August 11 there were 1,691 deaths, 363 more than the average for that day over the past five years.

The number of deaths was above average on each of the ten days while the high temperatures lasted. —Dawn/The Guardian News Service