GREECE: Health ministry puts services on alert as Greece sizzles under heatwave

Record ID: 333261

  • Title: GREECE: Health ministry puts services on alert as Greece sizzles under heatwave
  • Date: 12th July 2012
  • Summary: STREET FULL OF CARS HUMIDITY RISING OFF STREET PARLIAMENT SQUARE TOURISTS WATCHING PRESIDENTIAL GUARDS IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT SOLDIER WIPING THE SWEAT OFF THE PRESIDENTIAL GUARD STANDING TO ATTENTION IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT
  • Embargoed: 27th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Environment,Health
  • Reuters ID: LVA9SOSJK2Y531WC1XQDC6SFCMU9
  • Story Text: Health authorities have asked Greeks to stay inside as chokingly hot temperatures gripped the country on Thursday (July 12).
    The health ministry issued warnings for people not to lie out in the sun, carry out any heavy physical exertion, unnecessary travel, and to arm themselves with hats, light clothing, light meals and lots of water and cool baths.
    Air conditioned shelters have opened in cities for the elderly while hospitals, clinics and ambulance services have been asked to step up the alert.
    Meteorologists have said to expect the heatwave, which began on Tuesday (July 10) to last for six or seven days as warm masses move into the country from the African continent. Temperatures have been hovering or surpassing 40 degrees, with the atmosphere further stifled by humidity and warm winds. A thermometer in Athens showed temperatures of 44 degrees celsius in the sun.
    Italy and the Balkan states are also suffering under sweltering temperatures.
    For some tourists like Ray Megally from Australia, where it is currently winter, it was great.
    "This is fantastic, we get away from the cold winter and come here."
    For others it was not.
    "This is crazy, I went to the Acropolis today and I was dying, dying. This is probably my third one of the day," said American tourist Nick Begara from Florida, holding up a water bottle.
    "If you have somewhere to just stay inside where you have air conditioning, where you have a swimming pool its okay but afterwards no way," said Alexandra, a tourist from Poland.
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