With temperatures soaring to near triple digits, Augusta residents retreated inside and cranked up their air conditioners.

Tuesday's high temperature reached 98 degrees, although the heat index made it feel as hot as 106 degrees, according to the National Weather Service office in West Columbia, S.C.

The weather is expected to remain steamy today and fall to the lower 90s Thursday, according to the weather service.

The accelerating temperatures are particularly worrisome for the area's elderly population, who are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses.

And while the city does have cooling centers open at community centers, many remain deserted, because of the difficulty residents have in getting to the centers.

"No one's going to come here to be cool," said Ruth B. Crawford, the founder of the Shiloh Comprehensive Community Center. "It's too hot."

The problem is that many of Augusta's elderly do not have transportation to get to the cooling centers, Mrs. Crawford said.

No one is going to walk in the heat between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the hours that most of the cooling centers are open, she said.

She said an elderly man died last summer while walking from a bus stop near T.W. Josey High School to the center.

"The cooling centers are not going to be used until we get some transportation," Mrs. Crawford said.

Experts advise seniors to stay indoors during hot weather and drink plenty of fluids, said Stephanie Quattlebaum, the community projects manager for the CSRA Area Agency on Aging.

Chief Howard Willis, the head of the Augusta-Richmond County Emergency Management Agency, encouraged people to check on elderly neighbors who might need assistance during this hot weather.

Reach Kate Lewis at (706) 823-3215 or kate.lewis@augustachronicle.com.