NICOSIA, July 17 (NNN-XINHUA) — Cyprus medical authorities on Sunday reported the first heatstroke death this year as a Sahara heatwave persisted for a fourth day and the meteorology service predicted it will continue for at least one more week.
The spokesman of the State Health Services Organization Charalambos Charilaou said that the death relates to a 90-year-old man who collapsed at a care house.
Charilaou said that two more people aged 77 and 78 were also taken to hospital after developing heatstroke-like symptoms.
The heatwave, which originated in the Sahara more than eight days ago, has been searing European countries for a week.
Cyprus has been recording temperatures well over 40 degrees Celsius in the past few days, with the normal temperatures for the season being about 38 degrees Celsius.
Cyprus’ Meteorological Department reported a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius on Friday and issued three successive orange (amber) warnings, the last ending late on Sunday, as temperatures persisted at 43 degrees Celsius.
An orange warning is the second-highest warning of a three-level warning system used by authorities to regulate work outdoors during high-heat hours.
Director of the Department of Meteorology Kleanthis Nicolaides said that milder temperatures of around 42 degrees Celsius are forecast for the next few days. — NNN-XINHUA
