Italy on August 6 took unprecedented measures by introducing the highest level of health danger in all its major cities due to high temperatures, while Hungary turned off the lights on some of its most famous buildings to save energy. This happened against the backdrop of a heat wave continuing to cover significant parts of Europe.
Europe, the continent that is heating up the fastest in the world, has suffered from record heat and devastating forest fires this summer. France and Spain have been particularly hard hit in recent weeks. Subsequently, the epicenter of the heat moved further east, where the temperature in Austria this week consistently broke national records, reaching a peak of 41.2°C (106.2°F) on August 5.
Measures in European countries
Italy is accustomed to hot summers, but the red level of danger declared by the Ministry of Health extends from Palermo on the southern island of Sicily to Bolzano in the mountainous north. Such a warning indicates a potential health emergency when prolonged high temperatures pose a serious threat to the health of the entire population. In the northwestern city of Genoa, people aged 65 years and older can visit museums and libraries for free during the hottest hours of the day in August to avoid the heat. Rome extended its program of free movie screenings in air-conditioned cinemas for 10 days, until August 14.
Due to the historically low water level in the rivers, the Piedmont region, centered on the city of Turin, declared a state of emergency this week due to drought and the risk of forest fires. In Hungary, decorative and non-essential lighting in all government institutions, including parliament, most of Buda Castle, and the Chain Bridge, was turned off at night to save energy. The record low water level in the Danube forced the country to largely shut down its only nuclear power plant, which uses the river for cooling, which puts a significant strain on the country’s energy system.
Romania was preparing to sink four barges filled with stones into the Danube to divert water to its only working reactor and ensure a few more days of its operation. The authorities of the capital Bucharest reduced the intensity of street lighting by a third and turned off night lighting on landmark buildings and in museums to save electricity. The low water level also creates problems for shipping on the Rhine in Germany, where many ships can only sail partially loaded, increasing the cost of freight. The Rhine River is an important waterway for raw materials such as grain, minerals, coal, and petroleum products.
Shelter from the heat in a cave
In Bosnia, tourists found shelter from the outside temperature of 40°C (104°F) in the permanently cool Vjetrenica cave, listed by UNESCO. Vjetrenica, meaning “windy cave,” is located in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, approximately 25 km (15 miles) north of the Adriatic city of Dubrovnik, where cruise ships with thousands of visitors arrive daily. The number of visitors to the cave is limited due to the sensitivity of its environment. Its constant temperature of 11°C (51.8°F) throughout the year has made it a refuge for biodiversity, as well as for people.
Source: The Straits Times
