VARIOUS: Extreme weather sees heatwaves and storms across southern and eastern Europe

Record ID: 333093

  • Title: VARIOUS: Extreme weather sees heatwaves and storms across southern and eastern Europe
  • Date: 23rd June 2007
  • Summary: PEOPLE SITTING UNDER TREES IN SHADE TO ESCAPE HEAT (SOUNDBITE)(English) AMERICAN TOURIST ROBERT GREEN FROM ARIZONA SAYING: "It is uncomfortable, but bearable."
  • Embargoed: 8th July 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Weather
  • Reuters ID: LVACMHIMCM4LS8RCRO11VB6J7PEG
  • Story Text: Unexpected weather hits southern and eastern Europe, bringing heatwaves in Greece, Serbia and Romania, and storms in the Czech Republic.
    Athens civil authorities on Friday (June 22) set in motion an emergency response plan with ambulance services placed on high alert after meteorologists said temperatures had reached 40 degrees celsius, and would remain high into next week, across the country.
    The temperature began to rise midweek and was expected to reach as high as the mid- forties in the sun, record levels for the start of the summer season and not experienced since the 1980's.
    "It is uncomfortable, but bearable." said American tourist Robert Green who is used to high temperatures when at home in Arizona.
    One resident of Athens was asked how she coped with the unseasonably high temperatures.
    "With ice cream, popsicles, and the air conditioner. And whenever I am not working I try and go swimming. There is just no other way." she answered.
    Athens has put into force its "Phaedon" emergency plan, opening air-conditioned public shelters for people to congregate, setting up information booths around the city providing advice on how to cope with the heat, with public service employees handing out water to pedestrians.
    Hospitals were also placed on alert and the fire brigade was bracing for possible blazes. The government said it would call in extra medics and rescue workers if needed.
    Residents and tourists could be seen drinking bottles of water, wearing hats and looking for shade in the city. Several evacuated the city for the seaside, as the heat, coupled with humidity, made walking unbearable.
    Greeks were advised to stay indoors, eat little, take frequent showers and limit the use of air conditioning and other units for fear of an electricity blackout. The state power company recorded record highs in electricity consumption due to the use of air conditioners.
    A long dry winter with little rainfall has given way to a hot early summer that has further reduced water levels in hydroelectric power plants.
    In Serbia, a sharp weather change and unbearable heat have boosted the number of elderly people admitted to hospitals. After torrential rains earlier in the week in Serbia, temperatures on Friday were reaching upwards of 40 degrees Celsius.
    In the capital Belgrade, thousands of people found a way to cool down in the city's Lake Ada. Life Guards and lake management appealed to elderly people to stay at home.
    "We advise our older citizens not to go out when it is too hot. That is the advice of our doctors. They should stay at home. The heat may kill them." Dusko Markovic, General Manager of Ada Lake, said.
    The Serbian national weather service says the high temperatures are likely to last until Sunday (June 24) when rain is expected and temperatures should drop to mid 30s.
    Unusually hot weather conditions in parts of Romania have seen the deaths of 21 people, local health authorities said.
    Meteorologists said temperatures were at the highest level in five years and would likely climb further by Saturday (June 23), reaching close to 90-year-highs of 40 degrees Celsius in the capital, Bucharest.
    Authorities have put up 66 tents throughout the main cities in Romania to offer cold water and medical assistance to passers-by.
    "In these high temperatures we are giving water to the people on the street and we are measuring their blood pressure as well," said a woman hired by the city to administer blood pressure tests in Bucharest.
    Many people took to jumping in the Dambovita river that crosses Bucharest or into fountains in front of Parliament's Palace, in an effort to cool down.
    Drought is expected to last for the rest of the summer, affecting cereal crops and hydropower production, but temperatures should fall below 30 degrees Celsius from Wednesday, meteorologists said.
    Meanwhile, in the Czech Republic, heavy rainfall and storms on Thursday (June 21) night resulted in a State of Emergency being called in parts of the country.
    There were hundreds of power outages, as well as damaged cars, and trees. Cars battled through flooded roads, as heavy rains continued to fall.
    Much of the east of Bohemia was hit by strong winds, rain and hail.
    The weather resulted in one of the busiest days of the year for firefighters with their workload more than doubled due to the conditions. Firefighters were kept busy removing damaged trees and pumping water from cellars and roads.
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