A devastating and deadly heat wave is sweeping across Europe, potentially bringing record-breaking temperatures and raising serious concerns about the impacts on people’s health, especially as the continent receives a huge influx of tourists.
Parts of Spain, Croatia, France, Greece and Italy are experiencing intense heat, with temperatures reaching above 40 degrees Celsius.
“Temperatures are scorching across Europe this week amid an intense and prolonged period of heat. And it’s just getting started,” the European Space Agency (ESA) said in a statement.
Heat is one of the deadliest natural hazards – more than 61,000 people died in last year’s summer heat wave. The current heat wave – dubbed “Cerberus” by the Italian Meteorological Society after the three-headed monster that appears in Dante’s “Inferno” – has raised more fears for people’s health, especially as it coincides with one of the busiest periods of summer. European.
In Italy, temperatures can reach record levels. Sardinia and Sicily are expected to be close to the current European temperature record of 48.8 degrees Celsius, according to the ESA.
On Friday (14), the Italian Ministry of Health issued an “extreme” health risk warning for 15 cities – including Rome and Florence – as the heat wave is expected to continue into Saturday and Sunday.
It has already killed one person in Italy, where a 44-year-old road construction worker collapsed in the northern city of Lodi and died in hospital on Tuesday. In Rome, several tourists have collapsed this week due to heatstroke, with a British tourist collapsing in front of the ancient Roman Coliseum on Tuesday.
Alessandro Miani, president of the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA), told state broadcaster RAI on Wednesday that Italy “has the sad record of the European country with the highest number of deaths caused by heat waves”.
In Greece, authorities said temperatures could reach 44 degrees Celsius on Friday or Saturday. The Greek Ministry of Culture closed the Acropolis in Athens from midday local time until 5 pm on Friday due to the heat. Police and emergency services provided assistance to a tourist in distress due to the heat on the Acropolis, police said on Friday.
According to the forecast of the Greek meteorological service, temperatures will reach a peak of 42 degrees Celsius in Athens at noon.
In Croatia, dozens of firefighters were mobilized when a massive forest fire broke out near Grebastica, a small town close to the coastal town of Sbenik, the Croatia affiliate said. CNN to N1.
Almost 80 firefighters with 28 trucks were mobilized on Thursday (13) to put out the fire, with the help of three Canadair firefighting planes and two small planes, N1 reported.
Footage from the scene shows cars and houses in the city destroyed and, according to N1, the area around Grebastica was left without electricity. Plumes of smoke could be seen above the nearby tourist beach villas, Reuters reported on Friday. Temperatures are expected to hover around 40 degrees Celsius across the region next week.
Europe isn’t the only place facing extreme temperatures. A dangerous week-long heat wave across parts of the western United States is set to worsen this weekend. More than 90 million people are under heat alert. The hottest place on Earth, California’s Death Valley, could reach 54.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday (16), meteorologists with the National Weather Service told the CNN .
A combination of man-made climate change and the arrival of the natural El Niño weather phenomenon, which has a global warming effect, is pushing temperatures to record extremes. Last month was the hottest June on record globally, and last week the planet saw its hottest day on record.
As the climate crisis intensifies, scientists are certain that record-breaking heatwaves are set to become more frequent and more severe.
how to stay refreshed
The heat is called the “silent killer” because you can’t see it, but it can quickly turn deadly. The very young, the elderly and those who have to spend long periods outdoors, such as workers and homeless people, are particularly vulnerable.
The body works in a range of temperatures between 36 and 37 degrees Celsius. When it rises above that, the body sweats to cool down, but the higher the temperature, the harder it is to cool down – especially when the weather is humid, which means sweat can’t evaporate as easily.
Heat exhaustion can occur when the body overheats. This can cause dizziness, nausea and headaches. Heat stroke is more serious and happens when your body temperature rises to 40 degrees Celsius or higher. If left untreated, it can damage organs or even cause death.
One of the main recommendations for people to protect themselves from the heat is to stay indoors and avoid exercising during the hottest times of the day, especially between 11am and 3pm. When you’re out, try to stay in the shade.
Experts advise people to wear light and loose clothing, a hat and sunscreen and drink plenty of water, even if they don’t feel thirsty, but avoid alcoholic and caffeinated drinks.
It’s also important to be mindful of others, according to Judith Linden, a professor in the department of emergency medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine.
“If anyone starts to feel dizzy, nauseous, or has a headache, it’s time to act immediately. That means taking her out of the heat and into a cool environment,” she said.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
