Heatwave hits Slovakia, country-wide heat alert issued

The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMU) has issued a country-wide extreme heat alert, with meteorologists estimating that this will remain in place until the end of the week, reported by local news agency TASR on Thursday.

"It happens sometimes that we issue the highest degree alert for dangerous phenomena, such as gales and storms, but an alert that is issued for the whole of Slovakia is very rare and most probably has never been done before," said Pavol Zaujec of SHMU's meteorological forecasts and alerts department.

The high temperatures can be expected to continue. In northern parts of the country temperatures have reached 34 degree Celsius, while in southern districts they've even touched 38 degree. In Northern Slovakia people aren't used to temperatures of around 35 degree.

"If such dry and extremely hot weather goes on for a number of consecutive days, it is reflected immediately in an increased incidence of heat strokes and even in a quickly growing number of deaths," stressed climatologist Jozef Pecho.