SACRAMENTO, July 31 (UPI) -- California's Office of Emergency Services reported that as of Monday afternoon the enduring summer heat wave had been blamed for 136 deaths.
Medical examiners confirmed heat as the cause in 70 deaths and heat exhaustion was believed to be the cause of death in another 66 fatalities.
Most of the deaths have been in the state's inland agricultural areas, including five confirmed and 20 presumed heat-related deaths in Fresno County and 14 confirmed and eight presumed in Stanislaus County.
There have also been a few deaths in Los Angeles and San Diego counties, including three illegal immigrants who died in San Diego.
Officials say that the most vulnerable to death from heat exhaustion are elderly people who live alone. Deaths are far more common in inland cities like Sacramento, Stockton and Fresno than in small towns or rural areas.
