Europe holiday 'red alert' as tourists warned of 'hellishly hot' 42C heatwave
Italy, Greece, Spain and more are all baking in a heatwave which has seen a red alert issued for southern parts of Europe - with the mercury set to reach 42C
Irish holidaymakers jetting off to southern Europe are being told to brace themselves for a scorching heatwave, with temperatures expected to soar to a blistering 42C in several places. Italy and Greece, along with Spain, are sweltering under an intense surge of heat as hot air from Africa engulfs the region.
Italy has already escalated its alert to the highest level of heat warning in 12 cities, while Croatia has recorded the Adriatic Sea's highest temperatures ever, nearing a sizzling 30C (86F) around the tourist-favourite city of Dubrovnik.
In the Italian capital, Carmen Diaz, a visitor from Madrid, Spain, was spotted fanning herself to combat the oppressive heat, remarking, "It's hellishly hot. These fans help a little too, but it's really hot."
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Over in Serbia, the national power company has seen unprecedented electricity demand, largely driven by the widespread cranking up of air conditioners. City officials across southern Europe and the Balkans have been proactive in protecting vulnerable groups, especially the elderly, while emergency services respond to calls for water-bombing planes to tackle the wildfires that have erupted in southern Italy and North Macedonia.
Greek authorities are offering the public respite in air-conditioned facilities and have imposed restrictions on outdoor activities such as manual labour, deliveries, and construction work during peak heat times when the mercury hits 40C (104F).
Temperatures are set to soar to a scorching 42C (107.6F) on Wednesday and Thursday in several countries, with Spain's national weather service warning that the mercury could hit a blistering 44C (111.2F) in the southern Guadalquivir river basin over the next few days.
Rome's zoo is preparing to offer its animals popsicles as a form of relief later this week when temperatures are predicted to exceed 38C (100.4F). However, thousands of music fans heading to Coldplay concerts in the city this week won't be so lucky.
Patrizia Valerio, who had just arrived in Rome from Varese for the band's final performance on Tuesday night, described the heat saying, "It really feels like we are in an oven with a hairdryer pointed at us," Fellow concert-goer Mattia Rossi took a more philosophical approach, pointing to the freak storms that battered Italy earlier this summer as evidence of climate change disrupting the southern Mediterranean's weather systems. "These are all symptoms of a planet that is suffering in my opinion," he said.
In Albania, where temperatures are also expected to reach 42C (107.6F), a 72 year old man was found dead at his farm in Memaliaj, 125 miles (200km) south of the capital, Tirana. The local Panorama portal reported that the cause of death is believed to be the heat, although health authorities have yet to confirm this.
Meanwhile, in Tirana itself, streets and cafes appeared almost deserted, with the few people venturing out using umbrellas for shade. High temperatures and winds have been fuelling wildfires from the south to the north in recent weeks.
Despite temperatures being a relatively cool 34C (93.2F), Istanbul's municipality in Turkey issued a heat warning on Tuesday. The advisory, aimed at residents including the elderly, pregnant women, children, and those with health issues, recommended avoiding going out between 10am and 4pm.
It also stated that Istanbul's temperatures are expected to stay a few degrees above seasonal norms until July 28, and advised residents to stay hydrated and wear light or cotton clothing.
North Macedonia is experiencing its second heatwave this month, with temperatures soaring to 42C (107.6F). Around 200 wildfires have been reported since the start of the month, resulting in one firefighter injury so far. In response, the government has declared a state of crisis for a month.
In Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia, it's the second week of temperatures around 40C. The Bosnian town of Mostar has seen these high temperatures for six consecutive days. Weather experts predict the heatwave will gradually decrease towards the end of the week.
Romania and neighbouring Moldova have also been hit by an intense heatwave over the past week. Both countries' capitals, Bucharest and Chisinau respectively, have seen temperatures exceeding 40C this week.
Meanwhile, in Italy, the civil protection service received 18 calls on Monday for assistance in tackling wildfires in several southern regions.
As temperatures soar high, Greeks and visitors alike are navigated by the health ministry to remain indoors during the peak sunlight timings and avoid heavy meals or strenuous workouts.
A similar red alert warning was sent out across 12 cities stretching from Trieste in the north to Rome in the center of Italy. A noteworthy inclusion to the list is expected to be Palermo in Sicily, as per the health ministry's foresight.
Meanwhile, portions of Greece are feeling the heat acutely with temperatures forecasted to touch 42C (107.6F) - a worrying foreshadowing that could last until week-end. There might be no respite for certain areas in central, western, and northern Greece, which are predicted to encounter a roasting 43C (109.4F) come Wednesday and Thursday.
A telling study from ISGlobal researchers stated that about 70,000 lives were claimed by heat-related instances during the summer months of 2022 across Europe. The same group aims in future to save more lives using a ground-breaking tool made through carefully compiling past mortality rates and weather projections.
"Until now, temperature warnings have been solely based on the physical information of weather forecasts, and therefore, they ignore the differences in vulnerability to heat and cold among population groups," Joan Ballester Claramunt, the principal investigator of the adaptation group at ISGlobal, communicated.
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