Elisabeth Schacher, deputy head of the health department in Karlsruhe, said that of 15 pensioners who died in one old people's home in the first two weeks of August, 11 had complained of a fever probably related to the weather.

Another 15 died in other homes in the city after the same symptoms.

Although health authorities in neighbouring France have blamed the heat wave there for several thousand deaths, Germany has so far not reported a surge of weather-related fatalities.

Karlsruhe was one of the hottest areas of Germany in the early part of the month with temperatures reaching 40.2 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

Schacher said they believed the temperatures outside as well as inside the homes led to hyperthermia and breathing problems, as tests had not turned up any suggestion of an infection.

A further 31 elderly people have been hospitalised, Schacher said.

Eight similar deaths have been reported in nearby Darmstadt, while a local television station said that of five people with diabetes hospitalised in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, three had died.

Elderly people are especially at risk during heat waves because if they are weak, their body's natural temperature control system cannot cope, leading to an unusually high fever which, in some cases, fatally hits circulation.

Diabetes can lead to dehydration in unusually hot weather.

TERRA.WIRE