Plague of deadly scorpions unleashed in Egypt by seasonal storms

Fat-tailed scorpions are endemic to North Africa and their stings can be deadly. Photo / Abdullah Helwa, Unsplash

Egyptian storms have unleashed a plague of scorpions in Egypt

Heavy rain and flooding in the southern Nile region have left three people dead and more than 500 others hospitalised from scorpion stings, state-run media reported.

Downpours, hail and thunder in the province of Aswan over the weekend forced local authorities to suspend school classes Sunday, Governor Ashraf Attia said.

The storms forced scorpions from their hiding places into many houses across the province, Attia added. He said at least 503 people were hospitalised after suffering scorpion stings and that all of them were discharged after they were given anti-venom doses.

Local English-language news site Ashram Online said that medical units in the surrounding villages and mountains had been given extra supplies to deal with scorpion stings.

Acting Health Minister Khalid Abdel-Ghafar said in a statement that no deaths were reported from scorpion stings.

Aswan in the Lower Nile is a popular destination for tourists. Photo / Sippakorn Yakasi, Unsplash

Fat-tailed scorpions are found throughout the arid regions of the Middle East and North Africa.

The deadliest species of scorpion on earth, their scientific name 'Androctonus' literally means 'man killer'. They are fairly sizable, too, reaching 10cm in length.

Their stings contain strong neurotoxins that can result in loss of vision and organ failure if not treated.

Aswan in the lower Nile is a busy tourist destination, famous for its island fortresses, white-sailed Feluccas and ancient river-side tombs from the second and third millennium.

It is also the setting of Agatha Christie's mystery novel Death on the Nile.

#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
pic.twitter.com/zGbWzTNMQn

— sebastian usher (@sebusher) November 13, 2021

Photos and video footage circulated on social media showed flooded streets and damaged houses, vehicles and agricultural farms. The rainfall also caused power outages.

The Al-Ahram daily reported the deaths, citing Ehab Hanafy, the Health Ministry's Undersecretary in Aswan. It did not elaborate on the cause.

- With additional reporting from AP