A woman walks at the village of Rovinia on the island of Corfu (REUTERS)
(AP)Athena Stavrou18 June 2024 19:00
Travel company adapting trips according to heat levels
Radek Nowak, active product manager for Intrepid Travel – an agency that specialises in walking holidays, said they have had to adapt trips according to the heat: “The soaring summer temperatures in Europe are certainly making it more challenging for people to do more active holidays.”
Intrepid no longer runs hiking trips in Spain and Portugal during the hottest months of July and August. Winter trips have been added instead in countries such as Greece and Croatia.
Radek added: “When groups are doing walks or hikes in the warm weather, we plan our days around the weather, heading out early in the morning before the heat reaches its peak.”
(AP)
Athena Stavrou18 June 2024 18:00
‘Common pattern’ among fatalities and those missing in Greece, police say
As police confirmed that a 55-year-old American is among five tourists found dead in recent days amid soaring temperatures, they noted a pattern among the fatalities.
“There is a common pattern – they all went for a hike amid high temperatures,” Petros Vassilakis, police spokesman for the Southern Aegean, told Reuters of the man’s death on the island of Mathraki.
Rescue teams were also searching for two French women, aged 73 and 64, on the island of Sikinos, and a 59-year-old US policeman on Amorgos.
“There are two search operations in progress on other islands. Police, firemen and volunteers have been deployed assisted by a drone and a rescue dog,” Mr Vassilakis told Reuters.
Athena Stavrou18 June 2024 17:00
Tourist missing in Greece sent worrying text to hotel owner
A 73-year-old French woman missing on the Greek island of Sikinos since Friday sent a distress message to her hotel before disappearing, the owner of the hotel claimed on Tuesday.
Ilias Gavanas, who owns the guest house where the woman was staying, said he last heard from her on Friday when he reached her by phone around 8:30 a.m. after missing a call from her at 5:50 a.m.
Barney Davis18 June 2024 16:30
Greek infrastructure struggling with extreme temperatures
The heat not only closed tourist attractions last week but schools across the country were forced to shut their doors just days before the start of the three-month-long break.
Greek schoolchildren are given three months off for summer. With temperatures rising, the holidays start in the middle of June and the next term starts again in the middle of September.
Despite schools being closed for lessons other students were forced to sit Panhellenic exams, the equivalent to A-levels, during the heatwave – many in poorly air-conditioned rooms. Parents in Athens and on the island of Thessaloniki were asked to bring fans when they dropped their children off for exams.
Workers in Athens were told to avoid activity between midday and 5pm and elderly people and those with chronic ailments were told to stay indoors.
Athena Stavrou18 June 2024 16:00
Tourists often unaware of risks, says search chief
In addition to record temperatures, Greece is expected to see record levels of tourism this year.
Overtourism is an issue in Greece, as it is in other holiday hotspots across Europe. The ombudsman report said that Santorini – a small island in the Aegean Sea with 15,550 residents – receives more than 5.5 million visitors annually, twice the number it hosted in 2012.
“In Santorini, even tourists complain about the great number of tourists,” it added.
On Friday, prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an interview with Bloomberg that the government is also considering imposing a cap on the number of cruise ships visiting the most popular tourist islands.
Athena Stavrou18 June 2024 15:07
Family of British man who went missing in Greece 5 years ago ‘let down’ by police
The family of a British man who went missing in Greece five years ago have criticised the Greek authorities for how they handled the search for their loved one.
As he watched the mammoth search for TV presenter Michael Mosley unfold earlier this month, Gary Tossell drew parallels to the disappearance of his father John Tossell, who still hasn’t been found five years later.
He claims that the search and rescue teams failed to get out of their vehicles to search for him and they also had no search dogs available.
“They flew a helicopter around the island for a couple of hours to search for Dad. But the helicopter was coming in really low and fast. I’m ex-Royal Air Force and I know you will never find someone flying like that,” he told Mail+,
When the authorities called off the search five days later, Gary asked the police: “Do you think you’ve done enough to save my father? The police captain simply dropped his head and said ‘sorry’”.
He added: “All that we really want to know now – after all these years – is what really happened.”
Athena Stavrou18 June 2024 14:16
Climate change major issue for Greece
Greece is on the frontline in the world’s battle against climate change, being hit by extreme heat and flooding in the space of just a few weeks last year. It recorded its longest heatwave on record, lasting 16 days, in July 2023. The high temperatures fuelled wildfires across the country that saw locals and tourists evacuated.
The minister responsible for civil protection, Vassilis Kikilias, said the last week has posed a particular wildfire risk due to the combination of high temperatures and winds. “The early start of the heatwaves, combined with the dry winter, has led to a very difficult fire season,” he said.
A wildfire burns in Gennadi village, on the Greek island of Rhodes in July 2023 (Petros Giannakouris/AP/PA) (AP)
Athena Stavrou18 June 2024 13:45
Earliest heatwave on record for Greece
A favourite holiday destination for much of Europe, Greece has now been hit by the earliest heatwave on record. A heatwave is classed as temperatures exceeding 38C for at least three days.
Greek state TV meteorologist Panos Giannopoulos said the country has seen its earliest reported heatwave: “In the 20th century we never had a heatwave before 19 June. We have had several in the 21st century, but none before 15 June.”
Chania, a city on the northwest coast of Crete recorded the highest temperature, with the mercury reaching 44.5C on Thursday. The area was also hit by a 3.7 magnitude earthquake on Friday morning.
(Reuters)
Athena Stavrou18 June 2024 13:15
Common symptoms of heat exhaustion as five die hiking in Greece
Common symptoms of heat exhaustion include:
· Dizziness and confusion
· Loss of appetite and feeling sick
· Excessive sweating and pale, clammy skin
· Cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
· Fast breathing or pulse
· A high temperature of 38C or above
Dr Mohit Mandiratta, a local GP in the Black Country, added: “To help prevent heat exhaustion drink plenty of cold drinks, take cool baths or showers and wear light-coloured and loose clothing. Try to stay out of the sun between 11am-3pm.
“If someone has heat exhaustion, move them to a cool place and get them to lie down with their feet raised slightly. Ensure they drink plenty of water and cool their skin with cold water and fan them. They should start to cool down and feel better within 30 minutes.
“If someone with heat exhaustion does not improve after 30 minutes, they may have heatstroke. You should call emergency services if they still feel unwell after drinking plenty of water.”
Athena Stavrou18 June 2024 12:45
Source link : https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/greece-weather-heatwave-2024-athens-wildfire-b2565699.html?page=4
Author :
Publish date : 2024-06-20 09:00:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
