TUCSON, May 23 (UPI) -- A heat wave with temperatures hitting 109 degrees in Tucson has left at least five people -- likely all illegal immigrants -- dead.
The heat was expected to hover at 107 degrees Monday and the U.S. Border Patrol fear more illegal immigrants will die from the heat attempting to cross the border, the Arizona Daily Star reported Monday.
"With this heat coming in, it doesn't look good, but we'll do the best we can," said Joe Brigman, spokesman for the U.S. Border Patrol's Yuma Sector.
A cell phone call to 911 from an illegal entrant Sunday ended with 23 people rescued, many ill from the heat. Four were taken to Tucson hospitals for severe dehydration; however, one remained lost in the desert, said Ron Bellavia, of the Border Patrol's search and rescue team.
Jim Pringle, of the the National Weather Service, said the heat wave will melt snow on the Grand Mesa resulting in several flood warnings for Delta, Montrose and Mesa counties in Colorado, the Grand Junction (Colo.) Daily Sentinel reported.
Logs, debris and trash left on river banks has resulted in "trash dams," causing flooding in Colorado from debris getting stuck beneath bridges.
