Alarm raised as even more heat is on the way
Despite six stifling days of continuously high temperatures, the latest heatwave in Greece is far from over, meteorologists and the National Public Health Organization (EODY) warned on Friday, advising the public to exercise caution and take precautions.
In a special bulletin, the national weather service, EMY, explained that Greece is being affected by hot air masses from Africa and the central Mediterranean that will push the thermometer up even higher at least until next Friday.
The areas that will be hit hardest include the western and northern parts of mainland Greece and the islands of the eastern Aegean, though the next few days will be no walk in the park for Athens or other areas, where daytime highs will hit and even surpass 40 degrees Celsius on the weekend and stay close to those levels over the next week.
The public health agency, EODY, for its part, issued an advisory warning people who are susceptible to extreme temperatures due to age, infirmity, pregnancy, obesity or other reasons to protect themselves from the heat by staying indoors as much as possible during the warmest part of the day – and preferably with air conditioning or a fan – sticking to the shade when they do need to go out and making sure they’re wearing a hat and sunglasses – dressing in light cotton fabrics, keeping well hydrated, taking frequent showers, eating lightly and avoiding alcohol. This is good advice for everyone, in fact, to avoid any unpleasant effects.
The general public is further advised to keep shutters closed during the day, avoid unnecessary travel and commutes, limiting all outdoor activities to the essentials and keeping an eye on those around for signs of heat exhaustion, which may include fatigue, dizziness, disorientation, flushed skin and difficulty breathing.
Pet owners are also advised to make sure their charges have plenty of water and shade, are taken for walks during the “cooler” parts of the day, and are never left inside in a hot car.
