The heat wave intensifies in the south of Europe

“We had to visit the Colosseum. For example, but my mother almost passed away”: from Rome to Milan, and throughout the south of Europe, the heat wave won a notch on Sunday, without a prospect of immediate respite. Therefore, – Heat wave intensifies south europe

(Keystone-ATS) Peaks of 43 degrees are expected in certain areas in southern Spain and Portugal, and almost all of France suffers from stifling heat planned to last another several days.

Already on Saturday. Similarly, Spain had recorded a record, remaining heat wave intensifies south europe to be confirmed, since the start of the statements, with 46 ° C in Granado, Andalusia (South West). Moreover, The previous summit was 45.2 ° C in Seville in June 1965.

Record in water too: the Mediterranean exceeds 26 ° C in the Balearic. Similarly, a threshold “typical in mid-August”, according to the National Meteorology Agency AEMET.

In Italy. 21 cities were on maximum alert on Sunday for extreme heat, notably Milan, Naples, Venice, Florence and Rome, where ambulances park near tourist sites. Canceled visit of the Colosseum. therefore, for the British tourist Anna Becker and her mother…

The emergency services of Italian hospitals have reported an increase of 10% of heat strokes, according to Mario Guarino, vice-president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine, “mainly in cities which, not only record very high temperatures, but also a higher humidity”.

Main victims: “The elderly, patients with cancer or the homeless suffering from dehydration, heat heat wave intensifies south europe stroke, fatigue,” he told AFP.

Some hospitals. such as the Ospedale Dei Colli in Naples, have even set up routes dedicated to heat strokes to accelerate access to essential treatments such as cold water immersion, he added.

Free swimming pools for seniors

In Venice. free guided tours for those over 75 in air -conditioned museums and public buildings and free swimming pools for those over 70.

In Italy again, “climatic shelters” were installed in Bologna and dehumidifiers distributed to the needy in Ancône.

“The heat waves in the Mediterranean region have become more frequent. more intense in recent years, with peaks reaching 37 degrees or even more in cities, where the effect of urban heat islands further increases temperatures,” notes Emanuel Piervitali, researcher at the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA).

According to scientists. repeated heat waves are an unequivocal marker of the global warming and these heat waves are called to multiply, heat wave intensifies south europe lie down and intensify.

According to the IPCC. the group of experts mandated by the UN on the climate, it is “almost certain” that the frequency and intensity of the extreme heat and the duration of the heat waves have increased since 1950 and will continue to increase with warming.

Pic “around Tuesday. Wednesday” in France

In Portugal, several areas of the southern half of the country, including the capital Lisbon, are on red alert until Monday evening due to “extremely high persistent temperature values”, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA). The risk of fire is also maximum, as in Sicily where the firefighters fought 15 on Saturday.

France is not spared from the scorching episode which started on Friday. Of the 95 departments in the country. 73 departments were placed in orange alert and peaks at 40 ° C are expected in the South Mediterranean.

Only the edges heat wave intensifies south europe of the English Channel (North) will record brands less than 30 ° C, depending on meteorologists.

But Météo-France has already warned that temperatures will still be up on Monday. except in the Mediterranean periphery where they will be stationary. The peak. during which maximums of 39 ° C to 40 ° C will be “quite frequent”, would be reached “around Tuesday or Wednesday depending on the region”.

Heat wave intensifies south europe

Birds in difficulty

Among other consequences. certain schools may be temporarily closed on Monday and a Brittany beach is prohibited due to the excess of toxic gas threshold due to green algae failed in putrefaction.

As for bio-diversity, “with this stifling heat, the temperature can exceed 40 degrees in certain nests. We collect birds in difficulty everywhere. Our seven care centers are saturated ”, is alarmed with AFP Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, president of the League for Bird Protection (LPO).