WEATHER-HEAT WAVE/HUNGARY Humans and animals splash around as heat wave hits Hungary

Record ID: 147810

  • Title: WEATHER-HEAT WAVE/HUNGARY Humans and animals splash around as heat wave hits Hungary
  • Date: 7th July 2015
  • Summary: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (JULY 7, 2015) (REUTERS) FOUNTAIN IN CITY CENTRE THERMOMETER IN STREET SHOWING 39 DEGREES CELSIUS 'WALK-IN' FOUNTAIN AT LIBERTY SQUARE VARIOUS OF CHILDREN PLAYING IN FOUNTAIN FAMILY WALKING IN FOUNTAIN VARIOUS OF CHILDREN PLAYING IN FOUNTAIN (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) BUDAPEST RESIDENT, NAME NOT GIVEN, SAYING: "Our flat has a southern view, we keep the shutt
  • Embargoed: 22nd July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Hungary
  • Country: Hungary
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA884WXQI21TO7HXR90SALOJFTH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: High temperatures roasted residents in Budapest and across Hungary on Tuesday (July 7), with thermometers hitting 39 degrees Celsius by midday in the capital.
    No heat-related casualties have been reported and authorities issued early warnings for people with health issues and the elderly to stay indoors.
    Many residents sought to cool down in a landmark of the city, a 'walk-in' fountain that has movement-sensitive sprays with non-circulated clean water. The capital's younger residents were particular fans of the interactive splashing.
    "Our flat has a southern view, we keep the shutters down all day. This is the first day that we've ventured outside and came here to the fountain, this is the only way to bear it other than going to the waterparks," one Budapest resident said.
    Another resident, Denes Szilagyi, said that the heat wave was starting to be too much.
    "I bear the thirst relatively well, but unfortunately we live in a panelled house which heated up yesterday to unbearable levels. But all in all we are getting by," he said.
    City authorities have placed cooling stations in several central points where people can take cold water packets of water away for free. In recent days, they say they have distributed over 7,500 litres of water each day.
    The free drinking stations have also proved popular with the tourists in Budapest. Some said that they feel the heat waves are getting worse each year.
    "This is year is not so good like last year I think, last year was more comfortable," one tourist from China said.
    Humans are not the only ones feeling the heat -- animals in the Budapest Zoo have also been treated to special measures to keep life bearable. Even though the Asian elephants are no stranger to heat, they love the daily wash to cool them down.
    "It is very hot but it is not extraordinarily hot. We have heat waves every summer and this is the 150th summer of this zoo so we are quite prepared for this. Obviously some animals bear the heat better than others, but they were all born in European zoos so they are used to the climate here. The main thing is that they have sunny and shady areas so they can choose where they would like to be," zoo spokesman Zoltan Hanga said on Monday (July 6).
    The hot spell has hovered over Hungary since last week and residents are bracing for two more days of high temperatures before cooler weather arrives.
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