Deadly Heat Wave Sweeps Across Eastern States

A scorching heat wave has been blamed for at least 13 deaths in Texas and one in Louisiana, with the extreme temperatures spreading eastward into Mississippi and Tennessee. The National Weather Service has issued warnings of dangerous, triple-digit temperatures in the Southeast, while California is also facing its first major heat wave of the year. Power outages in Arkansas have compounded the heat-related misery, leaving thousands without electricity. The heat wave has prompted the U.S. Postal Service to allow earlier starting times for letter carriers, following the death of a carrier in near triple-digit heat.