European heatwave leaves tourists in dire straits

Soaring temperatures in Europe have forced many tourists to cancel their travel plans or adjust their itineraries.

Faced with forecasts of temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius or higher in the coming days at several European destinations, a 61-year-old tourist from London, England, said she had been “on the cruise ship the entire time around the Mediterranean.” She and her son had booked a tour to visit several European destinations before his son went off to college. But the hot weather forced them to cancel their plans to visit cities while the ship was in port.

"It's too hot to do anything," the woman said.

A tourist stands under a fountain to cool off in the heat in Greece. Photo: AP

Paola Deitan, 29, from Wiltshire, England, said she had planned to go to Greece with her best friend, but things have changed. They will now go to a more temperate climate like Barcelona, Spain. "I'm worried about my health and I don't want anything to happen while I'm on holiday," Deitan said, explaining why she canceled her trip to Greece.

The Acropolis, Athens' top tourist attraction, has been closed for three consecutive days since 15 July during the hottest hours of the day. Several parks in the capital have also taken similar measures. The culture ministry said the midday-to-early evening closure at the Acropolis was to "protect citizens and visitors" as the country grapples with an "unprecedented" heatwave.

"It's too hot to go out during the day, except for the beach. We're stuck in our rooms most of the day," said Justine Rush, 53, who is in Corfu, Greece, with her husband and children. The heat also forced the family to cancel plans to visit a nearby town for the day.

A heat wave raged across the world over the weekend, threatening to shatter temperature records and bring the reality of global warming into sharp focus. Forecasts of historic heatwaves are sweeping not only Europe but also Asia and the United States.

A volunteer from the emergency medical service in Greece gives free water to visitors to the Acropolis on July 14. Photo: Reuters — A volunteer from the emergency medical service in Greece gives free water to visitors to the Acropolis on July 14. Photo: *Reuters*

In Italy, people have been told to "prepare for the most intense heatwave of the summer and one of the most severe on record". The country's health ministry has issued a red alert for 16 cities, including popular tourist destinations such as Rome, Bologna and Florence. Temperatures in Rome could reach 40 degrees Celsius today and rise another 2-3 degrees tomorrow, breaking the record of 40.5 degrees Celsius set in August 2007. Sicily and Sardinia could see temperatures of up to 48 degrees Celsius - the highest ever recorded on the continent, according to the European Space Agency. The Italian Meteorological Agency has named the current heatwave after Cerberus, the monster that guards the gates of hell in Greek mythology.

Spain, France, Poland and Germany have also been hit by the heat this summer, with afternoon temperatures above historical averages each week. In Spain, zookeepers at the Zoo Aquarium de Madrid in Madrid came up with ways to help their animals cool down in the extreme heat last week. Bears were fed watermelon popsicles, seals ate frozen sardines and lions devoured crates of iced meat.

Anh Minh (According to Guardian, AP )

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