Washington [US], June 29: The Guardian reported on June 28 that European countries are on high alert ahead of a heat wave in early summer.
The Spanish meteorological agency (Aemet) has issued a heat warning since June 27, saying temperatures in some southern areas could reach 42 degrees Celsius. Aemet said very high and persistent temperatures are expected, both during the day and at night, which could pose a danger to vulnerable people.
The Spanish Ministry of Health also warned people to be extremely careful in hot weather, advising people to avoid the sun, drink enough water and pay attention to the elderly, pregnant women or people with chronic diseases.
Meanwhile in Portugal, two-thirds of the country is under high heat and fire alert on June 29, with temperatures expected to reach 42 degrees Celsius in the Portuguese capital Lisbon.
In France, Marseille has ordered free entry to swimming pools when temperatures in the city hit 40 degrees Celsius. In Italy, Sicily in the south and Liguria in the north have banned outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day. Unions in Italy are also lobbying for other regions to adopt heat-related measures.
Greece has evacuated an area south of the capital Athens after a wildfire broke out there, as temperatures in Greece hit 40 degrees Celsius.
The heatwave across Europe comes after a series of temperature records were broken. The continent just recorded its hottest March on record, according to data from the European Union's Copernicus climate monitoring programme.
Scientists warn that due to global warming, extreme weather events, including storms, droughts, floods and heat waves, have become more frequent and intense.
Last year was the hottest year on record and there were also many natural disasters around the world, causing more than $300 billion in damage, according to AFP. In Europe, the number of heat-related deaths in 2023 was more than 44,000. In addition, a study in The Lancet Public Health journal last year showed that the number of heat-related deaths in Europe could triple by the end of this century, with the most serious places being southern European countries such as Italy, Greece and Spain.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper