ROMANIA: ROMANIANS TRY AND KEEP COOL AS BUCHAREST FINDS ITSELF IN THE GRIP OF A HEATWAVE.

Record ID: 646383

  • Title: ROMANIA: ROMANIANS TRY AND KEEP COOL AS BUCHAREST FINDS ITSELF IN THE GRIP OF A HEATWAVE.
  • Date: 6th August 1998
  • Summary: BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (AUGUST 4-5, 1998) (RTV ACCESS ALL) 1. GV: TRAFFIC IN UNIVERSITY SQUARE 0.09 2. GV: VARIOUS OF CARS DRIVING BY, MEN IN VAN WITH BACK DOOR REMOVED TO LET IN MORE AIR (2 SHOTS) 0.26 3. MCU: POST WITH TEMPERATURE DIAL SHOWING 36 DEGREES CELSIUS 0.33 4. GV: BOY BATHING PUPPY IN FOUNTAIN IN UNIVERSITY SQUARE 0.40 5. GV: MAN TAKING WATER IN BUCKET FROM FOUNTAIN IN THE SQUARE 0.51 6. GV: BOY, PUPPY AND MAN IN THE SQUARE 1.00 7. GV: MAN SHELTERING FROM THE SUN 1.04 8. GV/MV: VARIOUS OF CROWDS AT STREET STALLS, BARS, DRINKING REFRESHMENTS (3 SHOTS) 1.27 9. MV: WOMAN WALKING WITH SUN UMBRELLA/ WOMAN COOLING HERSELF WITH HANDKERCHIEF/TAXI DRIVER USING HANDKERCHIEF AS FAN (4 SHOTS) 1.53 10. GV/MV: PROTESTERS OUTSIDE THE GOVERNMENT OFFICES IN CENTRAL BUCHAREST, WITH BANNERS DENOUNCING PLANS TO RESTRUCTURE COMMUNIST-ERA INDUSTRIES/ PROTESTER TAKING SHELTER FROM THE SUN UNDER A BANNER (2 SHOTS) 2.05 11. GV: VARIOUS OF CHILDREN BATHING IN THE DIMBOVITA RIVER IN CENTRAL BUCHAREST (2 SHOTS) 2.26 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 21st August 1998 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BUCHAREST, ROMAINA
  • City:
  • Country: Romania
  • Reuters ID: LVA6DVDE4QLHRA7H1AQRZ9PLBF5S
  • Story Text: Southeastern Europe remained in the grip of a heat wave with temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) registered on Wednesday (August 5), disrupting transport, forcing industry onto short hours and emptying city centres.

    In Romania, nine deaths linked to the stifling heat were recorded in 24 hours on Tuesday-Wednesday (August 4-5), most of them from heart attacks.That brought to 24 the death toll in three weeks of temperatures unseen for more than four decades.

    Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, registered a record 35.2 Celsius (96 Fahrenheit) and city bars launched a new service selling ice cubes for the equivalent of 12 U.S.cents each.

    "A blanket of hot African air is covering southeast Europe, including Romania," said Dinu Marasoiu, chief meteorologist at Romania's National Meteorology and Hydrology Institute."It hasn't moved for two weeks and the sun has heated it up." Some respite was in sight, with rain in northern and central Romania bringing temperatures down by 15 degrees overnight to 22 Celsius (72 Fahrenheit).But more extreme weather is in store later in the month, said Marasoiu.

    With temperatures in central Bucharest nudging the 40-degree mark, factory managers ordered cuts in working hours and offered employees free soft drinks.

    "Starting tomorrow, we'll cut working hours to six hours per shift for as long as this horrible heat lasts," said Victor Vieru, general manager of FAUR SA, a big rolling-stock plant.

    Two ambulances remained on standby outside the plant in case of illness among its 6,000 workers.Emergency services remained under pressure throughout the region, answering calls for heart problems and sunstroke.

    One toy factory in Arad, on the western border with Hungary, closed its doors altogether because of the heat.

    The Romanian government came under attack in the press, accused of failing to take measures to cope with the weather.

    "The government seems to have succumbed to the heat and is showing no initiative at all," said the daily Cotidianul.

    Government officials responded by issuing warnings to holidaymakers to take precautions against forest fires.

    The daily Evenimentul Zilei suggested resorting to the traditional practice of burying straw puppets to induce rain.

    The head of Romania's Orthodox Church urged parishioners to pray and hope "in times of trial", referring to the heat wave, which was preceded by floods in northern Romania.

    Romanian and Bulgarian state railways slapped speed restrictions on stretches of track where temperatures were approaching levels at which steel rails could buckle.

    Farm officials throughout the region said some crops were suffering, particularly maize, sunflower, sugar beet and tobacco.But wheat was unaffected and wine-producers were rubbing their hands at the prospect of a good-quality harvest.

    Brewers and soft drink producers were also delighted.One brewery in the central Romanian town of Brasov posted July sales of 12 million bottles, its best in 107 years.


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