Chicago, US
Reuters
Tens of millions of Americans were confronted with a one-two punch of brutally hot temperatures and oppressive humidity on Friday as an unrelenting heat wave settled over the midwest and East Coast and was expected to persist into the weekend.
More than 175 million people in the US were under excessive heat warnings and advisories until at least Saturday afternoon as midday heat index readings in many spots rose well above 38 degrees Celsius, the National Weather Service said.
A child takes shelter under an umbrella while another one plays with a water sprinkler, in Manhattan’s Central Park, in New York City, US, on 28th July, 2023. PICTURE: Reuters/Amr Alfiky
GREEK WILDFIRES DIE DOWN AFTER BURNING FOR NEARLY TWO WEEKS
Wildfires in Greece abated on Friday after burning for nearly two weeks but emergency services worked to prevent new flare-ups in the central part of the country, where people had fled massive explosions at an ammunition depot the day before.
The blazes, fanned by rising temperatures and strong winds, have killed five people, destroyed homes, farms and factories and scorched swathes of forest land since 17th July.
In the hard-hit area of Magnesia, wildfires reached an air force ammunition depot close to the coastal town of Nea Aghialos on Thursday. The blaze at the depot caused powerful explosions and the coast guard said people were forced to escape by land and sea to Volos, the regional capital. Fighter jets stationed at a nearby military airport were moved as a precaution, a government official said.
The shockwave was felt miles away, causing glass windows of several shops to shatter, locals told Reuters.
“They’ve split open, they peeled off, the panels have fallen, they are split open, only metal is left, the ironwork,” said Dina Angeli, a local resident in Nea Aghialos.
Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said on Friday he had ordered an investigation into the incident.
Firefighters made a “superhuman effort” but failed to tame the rekindling blazes in the wider area of Volos and in Aghialos, fire brigade spokesperson Ioannis Artopoios said.
Dozens of firefighters worked in the area, assisted by five aircraft and a helicopter, as strong winds could cause new flare-ups, the fire brigade said.
The labour ministry urged employers in an industrial zone of Volos to suspend operations for a second day on Friday.
On the island of Rhodes, where more than 20,000 tourists and locals fled seaside hotels and houses over the weekend, wildfires have died down after scorching about 10 per cent of the island’s acreage. But teams operated at several sites for an 11th day in an effort to fully tame all the fronts.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday that Greece needed to take more steps to combat the effects of climate change, stressing the need to improve fire prevention further.
– ANGELIKI KOUTANTOU, ALEXANDROS AVRAMIDIS AND STAMOS PROUSALIS, Athens, Greece/Reuters
Some of the nation’s biggest cities, including Chicago, New York and Philadelphia, have opened cooling centres in public libraries and community centres for those who are unable to escape the hot temperatures.
“Extreme heat can be dangerous to health, and even fatal,” the city of Boston said on its website after it declared a heat emergency, adding that its street outreach teams will provide water on their routes.
US city officials and forecasters are urging people to stay out of the hot weather as it has the potential to cause heat-related illnesses, especially for those working or participating in outdoor activities, people aged 65 and older, children and those with chronic illnesses.
“Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,” the NWS said.
In Philadelphia, where the heat index could top out at 42 degrees, officials extended public pool and spray grounds hours on Friday and Saturday.
In New York City, where the heat index was to reach 39 degrees, officials posted a public service announcement video on social media urging owners to keep their pets well hydrated.
“It’s very hot outside. Extreme heat like this can be dangerous. We have to be very strategic in how we combat this,” said New York City Deputy Mayor Philip Banks during a public safety briefing on Friday, telling residents to check on neighbors and loved ones.
Electric grid operators across the nation declared hot weather alerts this week and told energy companies to put off unnecessary maintenance. Despite the extreme heat, however, no US grid operators had taken more extreme actions.
The growing frequency and intensity of severe weather is symptomatic of global, human-driven climate change that is fueling extremes, experts in the field say, with heat waves in much of the world expected to persist through August.
Last month was the hottest June on record in the United States, dating back to 1850. It also was the 47th consecutive June and the 532nd consecutive month with temperatures above the 20th-century average, according to the weather service.
The hot weather through much of the US is expected to dissipated by late Saturday, leaving behind chances of thunderstorms and mild temperatures into next week, the weather service said.
– With SCOTT DISAVINO in New York.
