Eurasia Press & News
The Romanian government declared a Code Red emergency late Monday (July 23rd) after three more people died of heat-related causes, for a total of 18. Health Minister Eugen Nicolaescu said the state of emergency will be enforced in five southern districts and in Bucharest. Temperatures on Tuesday are expected to top 41 degrees Celsius again. Blackouts left much of the capital without power Monday afternoon. The government is urging people to stay indoors during the day and has banned outdoor construction during peak hours. More than 1,000 temporary first-aid centres have been set up, as well as thousands of water distribution points. Wells are drying up in the south due to drought conditions.Greece has also declared a state of emergency and is bracing for at least three more days of temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. The government is helping hospitals field many more calls.
Wildfires are now flaring in Kosovo. Villages in the northeast and southwest are being evacuated, as NATO helicopters help battle the flames from the air. Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece have been battling forest fires for days.
