Southern Romania faces scorching temperatures this weekend, prompting a code-red heat alert in Bucharest.
Heat Wave Hits Romania: Bucharest Takes Action to Beat the Heat
As Romania faces a code-red heat wave, Bucharest and other affected areas are implementing measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat.
Measures in Bucharest
To help keep citizens hydrated, teams from the Bucharest Local Police and the General Directorate for Emergency Situations are distributing drinking water in public transport stations, busy intersections, and pedestrian areas. In addition, the Bucharest City Hall, in partnership with Apa Nova, has installed eight cooling systems at strategic locations throughout the city. These include areas like Universitate (in front of the National Theatre), Halelor Street (metro area), the entrance to Titan Park (metro area), in front of the Bucur Obor store, Calea Victoriei (in front of the National Military Circle), Unirii Square, Rahova Square, and Calea Giulești.
General Measures Across Romania
The National Meteorological Administration (ANM) has issued code-red alerts for persistent and intense heat from July 26, 10:00 AM to July 27, 10:00 AM in Banat, Oltenia, most of Muntenia, and southern continental Dobrogea. This signifies severe thermal discomfort and the highest prioritization of safety measures. In response, the head of the Romanian Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, ensured that all emergency services, including ambulances and SMURD, were on alert during the critical period. He emphasized the importance of citizen responsibility in cooperating with authorities.
In affected areas like Mehedinti and Dolj counties, trucks over 7.5 tonnes were banned from expressways and national roads during peak heat hours to reduce traffic congestion and enhance safety.
Heat Wave Forecast
During the same interval, the maximum temperature in Bucharest is expected to reach 41 degrees Celsius. Day temperatures in the affected regions are expected to range between 39 and 43 degrees Celsius. Minimum temperatures in these regions are expected to hover between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius. The temperature-humidity index is expected to exceed the critical threshold of 80 units in the affected regions. A tropical night will follow in Bucharest, with a minimum temperature of 20 to 23 degrees Celsius.
ANM has also issued a code-orange warning for the regions of Crișana, most of Transylvania, northeast and east of Muntenia, south of Moldova, and north of continental Dobrogea.
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[1] Romania-Insider.com, "Heatwave: Emergency Services on Alert in Romania," July 25, 2023. [2] Romania-Insider.com, "Bucharest City Hall Installs Cooling Systems to Beat the Heat," July 24, 2023. [3] Romania-Insider.com, "Trucks Over 7.5 Tonnes Banned from Expressways and National Roads in Mehedinti and Dolj Counties," July 25, 2023.
In line with the heat wave, weather-forecasting agencies like the National Meteorological Administration (ANM) are working tirelessly to predict and prepare for the expected weather patterns. To mitigate the impact, emergency services are on high alert, including ambulances and SMURD, in response to the extreme conditions (Raed Arafat). In addition, weather-forecasting information is vital for decisions like banning heavy trucks from expressways and national roads during peak heat hours in Mehedinti and Dolj counties (text sources: [1], [3]).
