ROME: Italian health officials on Monday intensified heat warnings as southern Europe began a week of extreme heat and temperatures on the continent are expected to reach 40 Celsius – or 104 Fahrenheit – as the sun warms already. And a continent overburdened with tourists.
The health ministry urged regions to increase house-call services so that older people do not have to go out when they need medical care, and to set up dedicated heat stations in hospitals to treat emergency cases.
The ministry also issued 10 recommendations to protect elderly people, the sick and pets from the heat, asking people to stay indoors during the hottest hours, drink at least 1.5 liters (about half a gallon) of water a day, and avoid strenuous activities. Abstinence from exercise was urged. peak daylight hours. In hopes of spreading the message, local celebrities went on state RAI television to read the recommendations aloud.
The culprit is a high-pressure anticyclone called Cerberus—the many-headed dog that guards the gates of the underworld in Greek mythology. third a heat wave It was expected to affect much of the Mediterranean Sea for a month and last until Wednesday.
“The bubble of warm air that has grown over southern Europe has turned Italy and surrounding countries into a giant pizza oven,” Hannah Klock, climate scientist and physical geographer at the University of Reading, said in a statement. “The warm air coming from Africa has now remained stable, and the high-pressure conditions have stabilised, meaning that the heat is increasing in the warm ocean, land and air.”
The mercury in Rome reached 39 C (102 F) by 3 pm on Monday. Italy’s capital was expected to be even hotter on Tuesday, with temperatures above 40 °F (104 °C), as were many other cities, particularly those in Sardinia and Sicily.
Parts of Rome have been hit by power cuts as huge demand for air conditioners overwhelms the power grid as people demand relief. Meanwhile, the Italian farm lobby Coldiretti issued a warning about the plight of domestic and farm animals, saying that cows are producing around 10% less milk as a result of the heat.
Elsewhere in Spain, a Forest fire A fire that started on Saturday on the Canary island of La Palma continued to spiral out of control on Monday, although officials say weak winds and cooler temperatures in the area are helping firefighters deal with it. The fire has burned about 4,600 hectares (11,300 acres) of mostly wooded mountainous land and about 20 homes and buildings.
More than 4,000 residents were evacuated from their homes on Saturday but were allowed to return till late Sunday night.
Spain’s Emet weather agency said a heat wave this week would “affect a large part of countries bordering the Mediterranean” and some southern regions of Spain would see temperatures exceed 42 C (107 F).
The agency says it expects temperatures to drop sometime on Wednesday.
Spokesman Ruben del Campo said an anticyclone was pushing warm air from Africa toward Spain and other Mediterranean countries. The agency forecasts that with the heat and very dry air, wildfire risk will skyrocket.
Greece got a brief respite from the heat on Monday when opening hours at the ancient Acropolis and other sites returned to normal. But two wildfires threatened homes in areas outside Athens, where winds of up to 70 kilometers per hour (45 mph) made it difficult to control the flames.
The alert level for fire risk was high in most of southern Greece, including Greater Athens, while higher temperatures are expected from Thursday.
The southern Mediterranean was not alone in suffering. Authorities in North Macedonia have extended a heat warning for the next 10 days, with temperatures expected to reach 43 °C (109 F), while officials in Kosovo have also issued a heat warning.
Artan Kelani, a 22-year-old student, said, “I have never experienced this heat in Pristina in my life.”
The health ministry urged regions to increase house-call services so that older people do not have to go out when they need medical care, and to set up dedicated heat stations in hospitals to treat emergency cases.
The ministry also issued 10 recommendations to protect elderly people, the sick and pets from the heat, asking people to stay indoors during the hottest hours, drink at least 1.5 liters (about half a gallon) of water a day, and avoid strenuous activities. Abstinence from exercise was urged. peak daylight hours. In hopes of spreading the message, local celebrities went on state RAI television to read the recommendations aloud.
The culprit is a high-pressure anticyclone called Cerberus—the many-headed dog that guards the gates of the underworld in Greek mythology. third a heat wave It was expected to affect much of the Mediterranean Sea for a month and last until Wednesday.
“The bubble of warm air that has grown over southern Europe has turned Italy and surrounding countries into a giant pizza oven,” Hannah Klock, climate scientist and physical geographer at the University of Reading, said in a statement. “The warm air coming from Africa has now remained stable, and the high-pressure conditions have stabilised, meaning that the heat is increasing in the warm ocean, land and air.”
The mercury in Rome reached 39 C (102 F) by 3 pm on Monday. Italy’s capital was expected to be even hotter on Tuesday, with temperatures above 40 °F (104 °C), as were many other cities, particularly those in Sardinia and Sicily.
Parts of Rome have been hit by power cuts as huge demand for air conditioners overwhelms the power grid as people demand relief. Meanwhile, the Italian farm lobby Coldiretti issued a warning about the plight of domestic and farm animals, saying that cows are producing around 10% less milk as a result of the heat.
Elsewhere in Spain, a Forest fire A fire that started on Saturday on the Canary island of La Palma continued to spiral out of control on Monday, although officials say weak winds and cooler temperatures in the area are helping firefighters deal with it. The fire has burned about 4,600 hectares (11,300 acres) of mostly wooded mountainous land and about 20 homes and buildings.
More than 4,000 residents were evacuated from their homes on Saturday but were allowed to return till late Sunday night.
Spain’s Emet weather agency said a heat wave this week would “affect a large part of countries bordering the Mediterranean” and some southern regions of Spain would see temperatures exceed 42 C (107 F).
The agency says it expects temperatures to drop sometime on Wednesday.
Spokesman Ruben del Campo said an anticyclone was pushing warm air from Africa toward Spain and other Mediterranean countries. The agency forecasts that with the heat and very dry air, wildfire risk will skyrocket.
Greece got a brief respite from the heat on Monday when opening hours at the ancient Acropolis and other sites returned to normal. But two wildfires threatened homes in areas outside Athens, where winds of up to 70 kilometers per hour (45 mph) made it difficult to control the flames.
The alert level for fire risk was high in most of southern Greece, including Greater Athens, while higher temperatures are expected from Thursday.
The southern Mediterranean was not alone in suffering. Authorities in North Macedonia have extended a heat warning for the next 10 days, with temperatures expected to reach 43 °C (109 F), while officials in Kosovo have also issued a heat warning.
Artan Kelani, a 22-year-old student, said, “I have never experienced this heat in Pristina in my life.”