Southern and eastern European countries face a week of very high temperatures, above those usual for the European summerwith torrid nights and, in some cases, heat waves forecast, according to meteorological agencies in the affected areas.
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National weather services have issued warnings and advisories for excessive heat that may subside later this week and, in some cases, also include alerts for storms, floods and gales.
For example, in some countries, such as Poland, the Meteorological Institute advises, in the face of a predicted heat wave, “not to leave home unless necessary when a storm is approaching or the weather forecast includes very high temperatures,” according to messages sent to all mobile phones in the country.
Polish authorities have declared a state of emergency in five of the country’s 16 provinces due to high temperatures, which are expected to exceed 34 degrees Celsius (94 degrees Fahrenheit) and with a high possibility of thunderstorms, flooding and gales of up to 90 kilometres per hour (56 miles per hour).
In recent weeks, high temperatures have alternated with areas of very low pressure in southern and eastern Poland, which have locally given rise to hail and occasional drops in temperature below zero degrees. Combined with strong winds, this has caused serious damage to hundreds of towns, more than a thousand firefighters have been called out every day and some parks and camping areas have been closed.
The sun shines on top of the Banco de España Metro station.
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On Monday, neighbouring Ukraine experienced another day of intense heat with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees in some regions of the country and possibly exceeding 40 on Tuesday, according to the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Centre.
The heatwave coincides with planned power cuts by Ukrainian authorities to cope with the energy shortage caused by repeated Russian bombings of its electrical system.
During these rotating blackouts that last for hours, most affected Ukrainians are unable to use air conditioning or other cooling technologies during the hottest moments.
Greece, which suffered its hottest June since 1960, has been experiencing temperatures since Thursday that have hovered around or exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in several areas of the country.
High temperatures combined with strong winds in several Greek cities significantly increase the risk of forest fires. Fires and red code In this regard, this Monday, the authorities of North Macedonia have asked various countries in the region for assistance in combating the fires that are ravaging the country in the midst of a heat wave with temperatures of up to 43 degrees Celsius.
“We are in intensive communication with several friendly countries, asking them to help within their capabilities to extinguish the fires,” Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said on Facebook.
A total of 26 fires have broken out in the past 24 hours in this country of 2 million inhabitants and 25,713 square kilometers, Macedonian Radio Free Europe reported.
The government declared a “crisis situation” for a period of 30 days on Sunday, allowing it to involve the army and police in the fight against the flames and free up state funds for this task.
The Bulgarian government on Monday extended the “code red” alert, the highest level, to tomorrow, Tuesday, in four regions due to the heat wave that has hit the Balkan country since last week and caused numerous forest fires, local media reported.
The intense temperatures, which are also spreading across the Balkans, have an extreme focus in Italy. The strong heat wave that the transalpine country has been suffering for days forced the red alert to be kept active on Monday in Rome and 12 other cities due to strong heat waves and is mainly affecting the central-southern part of the country and has already caused three deaths.
In addition to Rome, the cities of Ancona, Bologna, Campobasso, Florence, Frosinone, Latina, Palermo, Perugia, Pescara, Rieti, Trieste and Viterbo will remain under the highest level of alert in the coming days, the Italian Ministry of Health announced on its website.
In Spain, the Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has warned that stifling heat will be the main feature in the coming days with highs of between 42-44 degrees in large areas of the country, which will lead to the first episode of “very high temperatures” this summer.
Children try to cool off in a nearly dry spring during the prolonged heat wave aggravated by massive power cuts across Ukraine.
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A total of 26 fires have broken out in the past 24 hours in this country of 2 million inhabitants and 25,713 square kilometers, Macedonian Radio Free Europe reported.
The government declared a “crisis situation” for a period of 30 days on Sunday, allowing it to involve the army and police in the fight against the flames and free up state funds for this task.
The Bulgarian government on Monday extended the “code red” alert, the highest level, to tomorrow, Tuesday, in four regions due to the heat wave that has hit the Balkan country since last week and caused numerous forest fires, local media reported.
The intense temperatures, which are also spreading across the Balkans, have an extreme focus in Italy. The strong heat wave that the transalpine country has been suffering for days forced the red alert to be kept active on Monday in Rome and 12 other cities due to strong heat waves and is mainly affecting the central-southern part of the country and has already caused three deaths.
In addition to Rome, the cities of Ancona, Bologna, Campobasso, Florence, Frosinone, Latina, Palermo, Perugia, Pescara, Rieti, Trieste and Viterbo will remain under the highest level of alert in the coming days, the Italian Ministry of Health announced on its website.
In Spain, the Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has warned that stifling heat will be the main feature in the coming days with highs of between 42-44 degrees in large areas of the country, which will lead to the first episode of “very high temperatures” this summer.
High alert in the Balkans due to severe heat wave in Belgrade
Several Balkan countries are on high alert due to the severe heat wave that is sweeping the region, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius and no rainfall, which is leading to the formation and spread of fires, and which has claimed one life in Greece.
In Serbia, the red (maximum) alert is in force in most of the country. The Hydrometeorological Institute predicts that the heat wave will last until Friday, when rain, showers and thunderstorms are expected.
Experts are urging citizens to eat light meals, with seasonal fruits and vegetables, and drink enough fluids. The situation is particularly difficult for North Macedonia, one of Europe’s poorest countries, which is hoping to receive help from Slovenia, Turkey, Serbia and Montenegro to fight the fires in the center and east of the nation.
A total of 26 fires have broken out in the past 24 hours in these regions, where firefighters were trying to control nine active outbreaks on Monday, according to the Macedonian channel Radio Free Europe. The government declared a “crisis situation” on Sunday, which allows it to involve the army and police in the fight against the flames, as well as free up state funds for this task.
Temperatures in Albania and Montenegro are also above 40 degrees Celsius and are expected to rise to 42 degrees Celsius this week. Montenegro’s Institute for Emergency Medical Assistance has advised citizens to avoid being outdoors and being exposed to the sun during the hottest hours.
Bathers cool off in Lake Ada in Belgrade, Serbia, July 13, 2024.
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In Greece, the heat wave has already claimed its first fatality: A 23-year-old man with autism died from the heat inside the family car where he had been forgotten by his parents for three hours, reports the News247.gr website.
Air-conditioned spaces are being offered in several places for the most vulnerable people, as temperatures are expected to reach 43 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday. Meanwhile, firefighters are battling dozens of forest fires fuelled by the extreme heat in Greece on a daily basis.
Four regions in Bulgaria are under the highest “red” alert due to a week-long heatwave that has sparked forest fires and is expected to reach temperatures of 43 and 44 degrees Celsius on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In the past 24 hours, firefighters have tackled more than 200 fires across the country, with more than 400 personnel and 135 fire trucks deployed. Bulgarian media outlet The Sofia Globe reported that the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence said on Monday that military personnel and Air Force helicopters were still helping to fight the fire.
In just two and a half days, around 60,000 hectares have been burned near the town of Svilengrad, which borders Turkey and Greece, its mayor said, as reported by Sofia News Agency. In neighbouring Romania, authorities on Monday extended orange and red alerts for heat to the entire country.
The heat wave is also reaching Hungary, where in recent days century-old temperature records have been broken, with high levels of ultraviolet B radiation. In Köröszakáll, in the east of the country, 41 degrees were recorded on Monday, compared to the previous high of 39 degrees, measured in the city of Eger in 1908. In five provinces in the centre of the country the highest alert, red, is in force, and the second, orange, in the rest of the territory.
EFE AGENCY
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