Marathon runner dies, 12 others seriously injured due to extreme heat during Tel Aviv Marathon.
A 29 year-old man died Friday while running a half marathon in Tel Aviv, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported. At least 12 others are in the hospital with serious dehydration and heat related illness.
Organizers said that about 35,000 people ran in various races despite warnings from the health ministry that running in the oppressive heat would not be safe.
The health ministry recommended that all events finish before 8:30 a.m., when the temperatures were expected to reach 86 F (30 C), the Jerusalem Post reported.
In an unexpected change of events Tel Aviv temperatures reached 95 F (35 C) by 8 a.m., and events continued until 10:30 a.m., according to Haaretz.
“The heat was so intense that many runners switched to a walking pace. At the 18 km mark I saw a man stretched out on the ground with paramedics attending him,” half marathon runner, Vered Yeshula, told Haaretz.
Emergency medical tents at the events helped over 50 people on the spot, while 35 were taken to a nearby hospital, organizers told Haaretz.
The full length, 26 mile, marathon was canceled due to weather concerns and rescheduled to take place next week in a local park instead of the city streets.
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