Europe does not stop sweating. The heat wave that has trapped the ancient continent does not let up and, compared to how summers were lived before, this time of year is turning into a nightmare of long nights and air conditioners on.
(Enter the special: Dying of heat: high temperatures in the world)
I arrived in Spain a little over a week ago and, without a doubt, the comment that I have heard the most, and that I have repeated the most mentally, has been: “how hot”.
It is a reality: going for a walk and enjoying the streets is quite a challenge, especially in Andalusia, the community of which Malaga is a part and which is located in the south of the Iberian country. It is not enough to apply sunscreen and wear sunglasses, it is necessary to have a fan in your pocket or at least a piece of paper that serves to ventilate a little.
How could we be at peace at home in this heat? Would the tower fans located in each classroom be enough to cool us down?
But I will tell you about the situation in Malaga a little later, because, although the heat is becoming unbearable, in this part of the world people are a little more used to the sun and light clothing, unlike in the United Kingdom, where nobody out of amazement at the high temperatures that have been in recent days.
I was studying for 7 months in Manchester, United Kingdom, a city famous for its football, its canals and, of course, for its incessant and penetrating cold; which is why, houses and buildings are designed to withstand it: space heaters in rooms, thick windows and carpet everywhere. The ‘outfit’ or daily clothing should, yes or yes, be accompanied by thermal clothing and a good coat to appease the strong winds, which could almost lift people.
(Read: Heat waves: the causes and effects of high temperatures in the world)
This was normal even at the beginning of the ‘summer’, towards the end of May and beginning of June, and I put it in quotes because it still did not stop raining, at least occasionally.
And it is no secret to anyone that the United Kingdom is generally cold, which is why the commotion of recent weeks when the news began to go viral on the news and on social networks that the temperature would reach about 30 degrees Celsius and that this figure could rise to 40. What? How could we be at peace at home in this heat? Would the tower fans located in each classroom be enough to cool us down?
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Undoubtedly, the stores were packed with people looking to buy fresher and more suitable clothes for what was coming, although of course there was no shortage of people with bare backs in the streets.
Sleep was unbearable. The windows that before could not be opened, not even a joke, now had to be left wide open throughout the night so that the little breeze that ran cooled them down a bit. Two or three showers a day were also necessary to overcome sweating and despair. In addition, several ordinary people began to share on TikTok some recommendations on how to ‘handle’ the ‘Heatwave’: heat wave, like this guy who, with very simple tips, tried to help a little.
Any idea was valid. The goal: to try to make their warm homes a little cooler with whatever was on hand.
Even on July 19, one of the runways at Luton airport in north London melted due to the heat, forcing the cancellation of some flights and the diversion of many others. Just to give you an idea, The British Meteorological Agency issued the first red alert for the heat and the authorities asked people, if not necessary, not to leave their homes and to avoid traveling by train or car.
And it is that if the heat is usually alien and a bit unbearable for a woman from Bogotá (like me), you can already imagine how it is for a British…
Reeds that do not refresh
Having endured this, I packed my bags to come to Spain and enjoy a bit of ‘the best time of the year’, but is this unbearable and breathless heat really – at least – comfortable?
It is enough to turn on a television and realize that the news focuses on the devastating consequences of high temperatures
Elena Córdoba, a 31-year-old psychologist, and who could be a little more used to these temperatures, knows that it is not being easy at all, “The heat has been intensifying, without a doubt, with which we feel much more tired every day,” he says.
One of the things that has caught my attention the most is that, in the neighborhood where I am, the blinds and the windows remain closed. It is as if people, from the inside, were protecting themselves in a cool ‘bunker’ to prevent hot air from entering their homes. Without exaggeration, sometimes they seem like ghost streets, so similar to the confinement that we all experienced just two years ago as a result of covid-19.
Can you withstand a heat wave?
According to the Aemet, State Temperature Agency (in Spain), this could be the longest heat wave recorded so far and record temperatures in this area of the world have ranged between 42 and 47 degrees Celsius. Carlos Córdoba, a 28-year-old company director and administrator, affirms that “normally the heat wave was experienced in August, it lasted a week and then it went away. Now it lasts longer and it’s not just one.”
It is enough to turn on a television and realize that the news focuses on the devastating consequences of high temperatures: fires that have destroyed hectares of vegetation, firefighters working since dawn to appease them, losses hitherto uncountable and, unfortunately, the death of several people due to sunstroke.
One of the most notorious and terrifying cases of recent days was that of street sweeper José Antonio González who, carrying out his work under the incessant sunlight and 42-degree temperatures, collapsed and lost his life. This event occurred in Vallecas, very close to Madrid. As confirmed by the newspaper The countryfrom Spain, by the time paramedics arrived to try to revive him, his body temperature was over 41 degrees.
Being aware of all this situation, can you really enjoy the beach with these temperatures to tan, read a book and disconnect from day to day? Personally, like several people with whom they have spoken, the answer is a resounding: NO. There is a general fear of sun exposure and heat stroke. Such is the case of Maricarmen López, a 24-year-old medical student, who has preferred to go to a cooler place to rest because, even when she gets home at night and wants to take a dip, she finds that the pool does not cool her down. .
Those who have been most affected, without a doubt, are those who live towards the center and south of Spain. In Barcelona, for example, humidity plays a very important role. Santiago Vega, a 29-year-old music producer, says he feels more exhausted than usual. Likewise, due to the lifting of sanitary measures and the crowding of people at events, the heat accumulates and is felt more intensely, which is why the installation of fans and air conditioning in many areas has become a mandatory issue.
For this reason, appliance stores and ventilation specialists have also been affected. The first purchase I made was a fan to sleep a little cooler and I found stores with out of stock. Everyone who can is looking for a way to not have such a bad time during this time.
Behind all this, there are many questions that remain unanswered and that as a tourist I cannot help asking myself. What are the responsibilities of ordinary people in this situation? Wouldn’t keeping so many devices connected to feel a little relief from the heat be causing the problem to become more lasting? Will we continue to complain about the temperatures or will there be any serious solution, at least in the medium term, that will help calm the strong heat?
ANA GONZALEZ COMBARIZA
On twitter: @Combariiza
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