The first heat wave of the season in the Balkans brought temperature records and increased the risk of fires, but meteorologists predict that it is about to end with the expected rains and cooling in many places over the weekend, writes BTA.
The thermometers in a number of regions in the Balkan countries showed over 40 degrees in the past few days, and the hot weather continues today.
In Turkey, air temperatures are between 5 and 8 degrees above normal for this period of the year, according to meteorological data cited by the Duvar website. This situation is especially true for Central Anatolia and the southern regions of the country.
In the metropolis of Istanbul, thermometers yesterday showed nearly 40 degrees in places, and residents sought refuge in the shade of trees in parks or in the sea, according to the private television NTV. Today, the heat is expected to continue with similar temperatures, with the Aegean, Mediterranean and Southeastern Turkey regions expected to reach over 40 degrees Celsius, meteorologists predict.
However, weather forecasters are reassuring that the country is at the end of the heat wave that has gripped it and a cooling is expected in many places over the weekend, with temperatures dropping sharply by about ten degrees. Heavy rain is expected in Istanbul and Ankara on Sunday afternoon. There will be rain on Saturday in the Thrace region, as well as on the country's eastern Black Sea coast, state-run TRT Haber reported.
A short but intense heat wave, as meteorologists describe it, has also hit Greece since Wednesday. Due to the significant increase in temperatures in Athens, special cooled spaces were opened for the use of vulnerable residents and visitors to the city, the Greek newspaper “Kathimerini“ reported.
A 24-hour citizen service line is open, and a hotline has also been opened at the municipal clinics in Athens, where citizens can receive advice and instructions on how to deal with heat-related health problems every day from 8:30 to 19:30.
In Greece, too, the forecast is for a drop in temperatures over the weekend, when northerly winds will intensify, especially on Sunday, when winds could reach eight on the Beaufort scale in the Aegean Sea.
A yellow and orange code for dangerous heat was announced in Romania on Wednesday and Thursday, the National Meteorological Service reported. An orange heat code is in effect for Bucharest and 12 counties in the country today. The hottest temperatures are expected to be in the southern regions of Oltenia and Muntenia and in the southern part of Dobrudja.
Due to the heat, the Municipality of Bucharest is installing additional special water mist cooling systems, BTA saw on site. The municipality has also launched a large-scale campaign to distribute mineral water to protect citizens from the heat.
Against this backdrop, the Minister of Environment, Water and Forestry, Diana Buzoianu, convened the emergency committee of the ministry and called for urgent measures to prevent or mitigate the consequences of these weather codes.
The country's National Meteorological Service informed that in the next four weeks, temperatures will be higher than normal for the period and no precipitation is expected.
The Hydrometeorological Administration of the Republic of North Macedonia has also warned of extremely high temperatures, reaching 40 degrees, by the end of this week.
The Government of North Macedonia has recommended measures under the Action Plan to prevent the consequences of heat waves on the health of the population, including organizing online work or flexible working hours, where possible, and exempting pregnant women and people over 60 from work obligations, if the employer is unable to create appropriate working conditions, reorganize the work process for workers and employees exposed to direct heat, etc.
According to forecasts, temperatures in North Macedonia are expected to remain at 38-40 degrees by the end of the week.
Record temperatures for June were also measured in Serbia. Due to the scorching heat yesterday, many people in Belgrade and other Serbian cities stayed home. On June 26, records were set in 16 places in the country. It was also very warm in the mountains, where 32 degrees were measured, and only a month ago it rained and snowed in the area of mountain resorts.
According to a study in which five faculties from the University of Belgrade participated, five "heat islands" have been registered in the Serbian capital - places where temperatures are up to 7 degrees higher due to construction, lack of green spaces and higher traffic.
Despite the fact that Serbia is not a Mediterranean country, according to the recommendations of local meteorologists and authorities, employers should release their employees at temperatures of 32 degrees Celsius and above for several days.
The heat wave this June is prolonged and dangerous for health, and high temperatures combined with high humidity from rivers in the flat parts of the country can seriously endanger elderly people who have heart problems, Serbian doctors warn.
The hot weather has also increased the risk of forest fires.
A state of emergency has been declared on the Aegean Greek island of Chios due to fires that affected over 6,000 hectares of land and forced the evacuation of dozens of villages and a migrant reception center. After several days of fighting by firefighters, the fires were brought under control. One of them was found to have been caused by a thrown cigarette butt, and the woman responsible was sentenced to three years in prison and fined 10,000 euros.
Meanwhile, flames completely destroyed four houses in the Greek region of Attica, and dozens were seriously damaged by the fire. A forest fire broke out in the early afternoon yesterday in the area of the seaside resorts of Palea Fokaia and Timari, 50 km south of Athens. The fire engulfed houses and caused an emergency evacuation of five settlements in the Attica region, where the Greek capital is located.
Fires also broke out in neighboring Turkey. On Wednesday, a forest fire broke out in the area between the cities of Foca and Aliaga in the Izmir district. It later became clear that the fire started in a landfill in an industrial area, which was set on fire by a man who was burning garbage illegally. Dozens of citizens were evacuated due to the flames, which were later contained by firefighters, and the suspect in the fire was detained.
A forest fire also broke out in a mountainous area near the village of Ömeroba in the Edirne district, which is located about 10 kilometers from the Bulgarian-Turkish border, the Anadolu Agency reported yesterday.