A heatwave in the Balkans has led to at least 43 deaths over the weekend, as authorities across the region advised people to take precautions at home and outside, local reports said on Monday.
In Romania, 40 deaths were reportedly linked with the heat.
Older people and residents of Bucharest — where radiating asphalt and exhaust fumes aggravated the heat effect — were the hardest hit, with 25 deaths and 3 300 emergency calls over the weekend.
Temperature again soared to above 35 degrees Celsius there on Monday.
In Croatia, the heat of up to 38 degrees over the weekend claimed three lives. The victims were elderly people with heart problems.
In Bulgaria, no casualties were reported by Monday, but thermometer indicators remained pegged just less than the 40 degrees Celsius mark in daytime. The water temperature at Black Sea resorts was 27 degrees on Sunday.
In Serbia, it was cooler on Monday, following about 40 degrees over the weekend, when the emergency services received hundreds of calls, nearly half of them for intervention in public places.
Two people drowned, one in a public swimming pool and another in Belgrade’s Ada Ciganlija lake, possibly owing to the shock of a jump into the cool water.
Serbian police announced that it has expanded road controls following several fatal crashes caused by erratic driving of people apparently going berserk in the heat and clogged traffic on routes leading toward Greece and Montenegro.
In immense heat on Sunday afternoon, a column of cars, most of them with western European licence plates, stretched longer than 6km on approach to the country’s border with Macedonia.
In Montenegro, where the heat on asphalt of Podgorica reached up to 50 degrees, the authorities advised people to remain inside and the drivers to stay off the roads in the midday hours.
People throughout the region were told to avoid unnecessary strain, stay away from the sun and cars and take a lot of liquids. — Sapa-DPA