Latest news with #RHMZ
Kuwait Times
6 days ago
- Climate
- Kuwait Times
Acropolis shuts, outdoor work halted as heatwave scorches Greece
Greece's top archaeological monument, the Acropolis, was partially shut Tuesday as part of emergency measures to protect visitors and workers around the country during a four-day heatwave. The Greek culture ministry shut the world-renowned site from 1:00 to 5:00 pm (1000 to 1400 GMT) 'for the safety of workers and visitors, owing to high temperatures.' The four-day heatwave confirmed by meteorologists began Sunday is the second to grip Greece since late June. The national weather service EMY said temperatures in Athens in the afternoon had reached 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 Fahrenheit), and 40C in central Greece. Similar temperatures are expected on Wednesday, before dropping Thursday. To protect outdoor workers, the labour ministry decreed a work stoppage from 12:00 to 5:00 pm in various parts of the country, including several islands. The stoppage mainly affected construction work and delivery riders. 'Days with a heatwave make my job more difficult,' cycle-riding courier Michalis Keskinidis told AFP. 'We drink a lot of water to protect ourselves from the heat, combined with electrolytes, and take breaks whenever possible,' the 43-year-old said. The 2,500-year-old Acropolis, built on a rock overlooking the capital that offers little shade, draws tens of thousands of visitors daily. Last year it recorded some 4.5 million visitors, an increase of over 15 percent compared to 2023. Officials had been forced to order similar shutdowns in the past two years in heatwave conditions. Southern and western Europe experienced an early heatwave at the end of June, affecting France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. A tourist holds an umbrella as she stands opposite Acropolis Hill in Athens on July 8, 2025. Risk of fire, storms The Greek civil protection authority has warned of high fire risk in the greater Athens area, in central Greece and the Peloponnese peninsula on Wednesday. Greece's fire department has been dealing with up to 50 fires daily, the head of the Greek fire service officers' union Constantinos Tsigkas told state TV ERT. Elsewhere, Serbia's hydrometeorological service RHMZ warned that weather conditions could fuel more fires, after 620 fires were recorded Monday. But there are also thunderstorms expected in Serbia's northern Vojvodina region, as well as in western and central areas. RHMZ has also warned of the possibility of hail and hurricane-force gusts of wind. Croatia has already felt the impact of storms since Monday, with several of the country's regions affected. Two people were injured and hospitalized in Vinkovci after a storm knocked down a power line on a family house near the eastern town, police said. The authorities said they had taken dozens of calls over wind-related emergencies including trees blocking roads, damaged roofs and power failures. On Tuesday, heavy rain and gale-force winds flooded roads, knocked down trees and caused power outages at the Croatian port town of Split, the state-run HRT broadcaster reported. At the town's port, a ferry broke its moorings and hit a catamaran and a tourist excursion boat, sinking the latter. There was similar trouble further north, with storms raging in Hungary and Slovakia. In Budapest, strong winds damaged roofs, felled trees onto roads and downed power lines on Monday, with the national meteorological service HungaroMet measuring winds up to 137 kilometres (85 miles) per hour locally. Rail traffic was severely disrupted across Hungary with full restoration of services potentially requiring weeks, according to Construction and Transport Minister Janos Lazar. In Slovakia, gale-force winds caused power outages and blew off the roof of a block of flats in the eastern town of Gelnica and fallen trees disrupted road and railway transport across the region. The country's weather service SHMU has issued a storm warning with heavy rain, wind and hail for Tuesday, mainly for central and eastern Slovakia.—AFP
Euronews
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Euronews
Public transport disrupted in Hungary as storms batter eastern Europe
Severe thunderstorms hit Hungary on Monday forcing the closure of the main international airport in the capital Budapest after debris had been blown across the runways. The departures hall in Terminal 2A was partially flooded and the building was evacuated but no injuries were reported, the airport said in a statement. "All passenger check-in is taking place at Terminal 2B. The storm has also affected the surrounding roads, please be advised of any traffic changes before departure," airport authorities said, adding that damage assessment is underway. According to Flightradar, several flights scheduled to arrive in Budapest had to be diverted and land elsewhere. A Ryanair flight from Prague was diverted to Bratislava and the airport said several aircraft have been circling the airport waiting for a landing slot. They warned that flight cancellations cannot be ruled out. The storm also affected the national railway network with MÁVINFORM reporting longer journey times on the North Balaton line due to overhead line faults and replacement bus services in place between Balatonfüred and Szabadbattyán. In a statement, MÁVINFORM said that gale-force winds of 150-170 km/h on the northern shore of Lake Balaton had blown down the overhead line, while on the southern shore trees had fallen onto the track, damaging power lines. They added that the National Emergency Centre had immediately deployed around 50 to 60 buses to ensure passengers could get to their destinations and that experts were working to repair the faults. Serbia The country's meteorological office, the Republic Hydrometeorological Institute of Serbia (RHMZ) issued a severe weather warning on Monday for Belgrade, mountainous areas in the southeast and Vojvodina. Rain and thunderstorms were forecast, and Bačka and central and northern Banat saw intense storms with hail and strong winds. Shortly after 2 pm, gale force winds and heavy rain hit Zrenjanin, a correspondent for state television RTS said. The wind brought down branches from trees and caused minor flooding on some roads. Manholes and drains were clogged with leaves that had been blown by the wind. At around 2:15 pm, Subotica was hit by a thunderstorm. RHMZ said that sunny, warm weather is expected to return to most parts of the country by the end of the day, with thunderstorms most likely to continue in the north and west. Croatia A strong storm lashed the Croatian coast and moved inland, reaching the country's east. The State Hydrometeorological Institute (DHMZ) issued its highest red warning level for the Osijek region, which indicates extremely dangerous weather. A message has also been sent to residents in the area, warning of stormy and hurricane-force winds. The Vukovar-Srijem Police Department received 30 reports of damage caused by the storm but no injuries. While the national electric grid warned of the possibility of reduced voltage in some parts of Županja. Slovenia And rainfall that hit Slovenia overnight has eased but is expected to intensify again by the evening. The national meteorological service Arso issued an orange warning for the entire country for Monday due to possible heavy rains with hail, gusts of wind and lightning. A new, more pronounced wave of precipitation is expected to hit the country on Tuesday night, when local storms are again possible. The heaviest rainfall is expected to be in the west and northern areas.
The Star
26-06-2025
- Climate
- The Star
Serbia issues red alert as heatwave pushes temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius
BELGRADE, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Serbia is under a red-level weather alert as an extreme heatwave grips the country, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius in several eastern cities, the national weather service said on Thursday. The Republic Hydrometeorological Institute (RHMZ) reported the highest temperatures in Cuprija and Zajecar, both reaching 40 degrees Celsius. Other cities, including Kikinda, Negotin and Leskovac, recorded highs of 39 degrees, while the capital of Belgrade hit 38 degrees by mid-afternoon. The red alert, the highest on Serbia's four-level warning scale, was issued across most of the country, signaling dangerous conditions. The institute said current temperatures were well above seasonal averages and urged residents to take precautions. Relief is expected on Friday, with temperatures forecast to drop by 5 to 8 degrees Celsius, accompanied by moderate to strong winds and scattered thunderstorms in northern, eastern, and mountainous regions. Compounding the extreme heat, much of Serbia is experiencing severe drought. Persistently low rainfall has led to soil moisture deficits that threaten crops, particularly during sensitive growth stages. Water levels on the Danube, Sava, and Tisa rivers are expected to fall below navigational minimums, while flows on several tributaries are approaching biological minimums. Health authorities have advised the public to stay hydrated, eat water-rich foods, and avoid outdoor activity during peak heat hours.
