Bulgaria swelters through record-breaking heatwave
Pastor Dale Morgan
Bulgaria swelters through record-breaking heatwave
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SOFIA, July 23 (AFP) Jul 23, 2007
Bulgaria experienced its hottest temperatures since records began Monday
with the thermometer shooting above 45 degrees Centigrade (104
Fahrenheit) in parts of the country, the meteorological institute in
Sofia said.
The mercury is expected to keep climbing over the next two days, the
institute added.
Veliko Tarnovo, in central Bulgaria, registered 45.5 degrees Centigrade
Monday while southwestern Sandanski experienced 43.2 degrees and Ruse on
the Danube in the north saw 42.8 degrees.
These were the highest temperatures registered in Bulgaria since records
started 120 years ago.
The week-long heatwave has already killed at least one person and
contributed to 1,900 forest fires around the country.
In the north, the mayor of Kozloduy has declared a state of emergency
because of the extreme drought, which has destroyed 90 percent of the
corn and sunflower harvest.
Water rationing has been imposed in nine towns around Veliko Tarnovo and
farmers around the country were calling for government aid to compensate
their losses.
A large forest fire was burning near Harmanli in the south, while in
northwestern Montana, pine trees were being doused with water to prevent
them catching fire.
In Sofia's zoo, the monkeys and lions were being regularly sprayed with
water while the bears, hippopotamus, elephant and tiger had their own
pools to cool off in. Zookeepers were also providing some animals with
ice-cream and frozen fruit to counter the heat.