19 die in Romanian heatwave
Pastor Dale Morgan
19 die in Romanian heatwave*
BUCHAREST, June 21 (AFP) Jun 21, 2007
A heatwave in Romania has killed 19 people in the last two days, with
temperatures set to rise to 40 degrees celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit)
this weekend, the health ministry said Thursday.
Fourteen people, aged 23 to 70, died in the capital Bucharest, while
four died in the eastern town of Braila and one in Calarasi in the
south, it said.
Faced with temperatures of 35 degrees this week, the authorities
installed 66 first aid tents in cities including Bucharest, Timisoara in
the west and Galati in the east. Bottles of water were also distributed.
The ambulance service has been inundated with calls in the past 48
hours, most commonly reporting that people had been fainting in the street.
Twenty-three southern regions have been put on alert, and the health
ministry has warned older people and those with heart problems to stay
inside.
The heatwave has also brought a drought for Romania's farmers, who are
already suffering from a dry winter and spring.