PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Record setting heat is roasting much of the eastern half of the nation, in an unrelenting and deadly heat wave.
It reached a record 105 degrees in the nation's capital. It was also scorching in the Midwest. St. Louis topped out at 106 and the mercury climbed to 104 in Indianapolis. Extreme readings hit 20 states, and there were triple-digit temperatures from Sioux Falls, S.D. to Baltimore.
Officials say the outbreak has caused at least 30 deaths, including nine in Maryland and 10 in Chicago. Most of the victims were elderly.
Thousands of mid-Atlantic residents are still without power more than a week after deadly summer storms and extreme heat struck the area. Most of the outages are in West Virginia. About 8,000 customers in the Washington-Baltimore area wi
ll lack electricity. A Washington-area utility meanwhile has asked customers to conserve power, saying the heat is stressing the system.