climate crisis
“Can’t stand it anymore”: Heat plagues tourist hotspots
The thermometer in Murcia, Spain, shows an impressive 45 degrees Celsius. In southern Europe, people are struggling with maximum temperatures in many places. photo
© Edu Botella/EUROPA PRESS/dpa
Italy, Spain, Greece: Everyone is groaning under the hot temperatures – this also pushes some German tourists to their limits. In Greece, forest volumes are also causing problems for the emergency services.
“Never again Rome in summer” – Alert level in Italy
Italy is groaning under the scorching heat. Today, 23 major cities will go on high heat alert. According to the Air Force weather service, 40 degrees are expected in the capital Rome, and 37 to 39 degrees in Florence and Bologna. 41.8 degrees were measured in Rome yesterday.
In front of the famous Colosseum, a tourist from Munich told the German Press Agency: “You can’t take it anymore.” A traveler from Braunschweig, who visited Rome with his girlfriend, said: “It was clear that it would be hot, but not that we would have 40 degrees and more.” Another German said he booked his vacation in the Eternal City half a year ago. But it wasn’t planned for it to get that hot. “Never again in Rome in the summer,” stated another German-speaking passer-by.
Despite the high temperatures, tourists also frolic in front of other Roman attractions. It was emptier than usual at the famous Trevi Fountain, but it was still well filled. There were also many people at the Spanish Steps – but crowded into the few shady corners and cooled off at the Fontana della Barcaccia fountain.
“Things are constantly soaked in sweat”: The situation in Spain
The sweltering heat in Spain these days is making things difficult even for the locals, who are used to the heat, and the die-hard sun fans among the tourists. While the locals make no secret of their suffering and moan and scold, hardly any visitor from Germany wants to spoil the fun of their vacation.
“Spain is melting”, was the headline in the digital newspaper “OK Diario”. Pensioner Francisco scolds in a café in Madrid. “You can’t stand it, you can’t stand it,” he told the dpa. “It’s getting hotter every year!”
Quite different Sabine Wünsch. The 51-year-old from Leipzig, who is vacationing with the family in a finca in Cala Murada on the east coast of Mallorca, admits: “Things are constantly sweaty.” But she assures: “I love the heat, I’m fine.” Her “recipe”: A cold watermelon, pool and air conditioning. Of course, you have to take certain precautions. “My sister takes a towel everywhere, even in the restaurant, to wipe off her sweat.”
Yesterday Spain suffered the peak of the current heat wave. Mallorca was hit the hardest. In the north and east of the island and also in parts of Catalonia and Aragon in the Spanish north-east, the highest red alert from the Aemet weather service applied. In Sa Pobla, about 40 kilometers northeast of the island’s capital, Palma, 44 degrees were measured. However, the provisional highest daily value was recorded in Figueres, Catalonia, at 45.3 degrees.
At Ballermann there was at least 38 degrees – in the shade of course. The streets there were “virtually empty” in the afternoon, as the “Mallorca Zeitung” noted. There was more going on at the beach. Christian Scherer from the Ahr Valley, who is on vacation in Mallorca for a week, seems puzzled when he is asked about the heat by the “MZ” reporter. “Isn’t that always the case?” asks the 34-year-old, who is on a cycling holiday with his partner and a friend on the island.
The heat wave is expected to end on Thursday. According to Aemet, more and more intense heat waves are being registered in Spain.
‘We are fighting on all fronts’: Forest fires in Greece
Fires have been raging around the Greek capital Athens since Monday, which have gotten out of control due to the extreme drought and strong winds. This was preceded by a three-day heat wave with temperatures above 40 degrees. And a new heat wave is upon us. “We are fighting the flames on all fronts. The next few days will be very difficult,” said a spokesman for the fire department.
Despite the massive use of firefighting aircraft and helicopters, the fire brigade was unable to contain the flames until late Tuesday evening. Dozens of towns had to be evacuated. Disturbed people and pets ran through the streets of the village of Nea Zoi, around 20 kilometers east of Athens, state television showed. The flames also raged near the holiday town of Loutraki, around 80 kilometers east of Athens. Numerous houses burned down to the ground, as the television showed.
Meteorologists warned that a new heat wave with temperatures of up to 44 degrees will reach south-eastern Europe in the next few days. Strong winds should then set in again, which could fan new fires, the weather office in Athens said.