Europe holiday hotspots on red alert as temperatures hit 40C
POPULAR holiday destinations in Southern Europe are on red alert after a heatwave dubbed ‘Lucifer’ raised temperatures to record highs.
Earlier this week European weather warnings site Meteoalarm warned that “major damage and accidents are likely, in many cases with threat to life” as temperatures soared across the continent, with destinations like Italy and the Balkans the most affected.
With temperatures exceeding 40C in many parts of Europe, it’s their most extreme heat in over a decade.
‘Lucifer’ was in force on one of the busiest weekends of the year for European airports. as travellers were urged to arrive earlier than usual.
Above-average temperatures have been ongoing all summer in Southern Europe, but this week alarm bells were raised, as parts of the continent soared to record highs, prompting authorities to issue severe weather warnings.
It was first named “Lucifero” in Italy, where hospital admissions have spiked due to the heat.
Meteoalarm issued red alerts, considered “very dangerous”, for parts of Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia on Saturday.
In Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, France, Macedonia, Slovakia, Moldova and many parts of the Mediterranean, an orange alert was issued.
High temperatures are expected to last until at least the end of next week.
The extreme heat stifling Serbia, Romania, Croatia and parts of Spain, France and Italy has fuelled wildfires, damaged crops and strained energy and water supplies and has caused at least two deaths.
Some 15 wildfires have been reported in Albania, and dozens of others throughout the region.
Authorities in some areas issued traffic restrictions and banned outdoor work during the hottest part of the day.
And the world-famous Uffixi Gallery in Florence was temporarily closed after its air conditioning broke down, ANSA news agency said.
The public health institute in Belgrade issued heat instructions, telling people to keep wet towels on windows if there is no air conditioning, and avoid physical strain and alcohol.
“It is just too much,” real estate agent Sasa Jovanovic, 52, said during an early morning walk in the Serbian capital, where the temperature was forecast to hit 39C (102.2F) on Saturday.
“Sometimes it feels as if I cannot breathe.”
Thousands of residents sought refuge from the heat at the city’s recreation area, swimming in the local lake and the Danube or the Sava rivers.
Animal rights groups urged citizens to place plastic bowls with water outside their buildings and in parks for the city’s many stray dogs.
In Croatia, health authorities have reported a surge in emergency calls over the past week. They appealed to the thousands of tourists in the country’s Adriatic coast to be careful on the beaches and while travelling.
Romania reported two heat-related deaths – a 45-year-old man collapsed and died on Friday while working in a field in the north-east, while a 60-year-old man died of a heart attack in the street in an eastern port on Thursday.
The heatwave warnings came ahead of one of the busiest weekends of the year for European airports.
British holidaymakers were urged to leave plenty of time to get through airport security after queues of up to four hours were reported.
This is since the introduction of more stringent checks on travellers entering and leaving the Schengen area, which allows passport-free movement across much of the EU.
Airports in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Belgium have been affected, with some travellers receiving texts to notify them of the delays.
It was predicted earlier this week that the situation was going to worsen this weekend as lobby group Airlines For Europe (A4E) warned it would be one of the busiest of the year, with 10 million people expected to pass through European airports on Saturday and Sunday combined.
British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair all alerted passengers of the need to turn up at airports earlier than normal.
Wales and the rest of the UK are unlikely to feel the effect of Lucifer, as the Met Office says the UK is stuck behind Atlantic jet stream winds.
In some British towns and cities, it could even be as much as 30C cooler than other parts of Europe.
The Met Office predicts cloud and outbreaks of showery rain in Wales today. It will become drier and brighter from the northwest, feeling cool in the rain, with maximum temperatures of 18C.
It’s not looking that much better for the rest of the week, either.
A Met Office spokesman said: “Tuesday and Wednesday will see bright spells and scattered, heavy, possibly thundery showers, accompanied by strong winds. A chilly start on Thursday, but drier and brighter. Generally rather cool throughout.”