Storms In Egypt Unleash Deadly Swarm Of Scorpions
Leonid A. Neymark/California Academy of SciencesIn this weird news story from 2021, about 453 people were stung, three of whom died.
The Arabian fat-tailed scorpion prefers the arid climates of African and Middle Eastern deserts. It isn’t used to tropical weather or storms, one of which tore thousands of these critters from their nests in Aswan, Egypt, in November. Unleashed unto the city, they stung 450 people — killing three.
The record storms saw Aswan officials suspend schools and warn people to stay indoors. For a region that usually sees less than half an inch of rainfall per year, the flooded streets and power outages were terrifying — only for an army of Aswan scorpions to hospitalize helpless citizens.
Hundreds had to be treated with anti-venom which local clinics fortunately had in strong supply. The animal’s sting saw people flooded with neurotoxins and cardiotoxins that can cause internal bleeding, sweating, fever, vomiting, diarrhea — and death if left untreated.
The biblical downpour continued with torrential rainfall, hail, and dust storms. Residents told to stay inside during power outages were left blind to their crawling intruders, while doctors busy vaccinating people against COVID-19 found themselves dealing with the unexpected emergency.
Fortunately, the inclement weather turned to clear skies and sunshine as the weekend came to an end.
After learning about these weird news stories from 2021, take a look at 55 weird photos from history with even stranger backstories. Then, check out 55 creepy pictures and the eerie stories behind them.
