Red alert: 40°C, water shortages, forest fires come to Hungary

New heat records are expected for this weekend in Hungary. Daily temperatures can even reach 40°C in some parts of the country, with no hope for precipitation. As a result of the extreme weather, red code warning has been issued in the country. The heatwave alert is in effect from Thursday morning until Monday evening.

Red code alert

In the next few days, the daily average temperature will be 35°C in several parts of Hungary, with some places reaching 40°C on Saturday. Temperatures in many places will still be above 20°C at dawn. Due to the extreme weather conditions, „red code alert” has been introduced in the whole country, from 8 AM on Thursday until 8 PM on Monday. The purpose of the heatwave warning is to alert society to the extreme weather situation, as well as to protect and preserve life and health of those in need of assistance. During the special procedure, all social sector institutions, regardless of the type of care, the area covered and the number of places available, are obliged to receive homeless people arriving at their premises, reports the Hungarian news portal Szeretlek Magyarország.

Therefore, the Ministry of the Interior is asking everyone who encounters a homeless person in need of assistance due to the extreme weather conditions to call the regional dispatch service, where they can respond immediately to the call.

Measures for the weekend

Presumably, the record-breaking temperatures will cause massive drought, water shortages and natural fires in Hungary. As a result, several measures have been taken nationwide. During the heat wave, the Danube Regional Waterworks is calling for water conservation in several municipalities to ensure drinking water supply. At the same time, the lack of precipitation that has lasted for several weeks still goes on. In addition, the Danube water level continues to decrease and hydrological forecasts indicate that no precipitation is expected in the catchment area for the time being.

In Budapest, the institutions of the capital’s municipality help residents with drinking fountains, water distribution, intensive air conditioning of vehicles and extended opening hours of beaches.

The Ministry of Technology and Industry has decided to allow heavy goods vehicles to drive freely on inland roads on Saturday because of the heat warning. In case of an extension of the official measure, the lifting of the truck ban will automatically be extended to Sunday. Waiting in a hot cab can damage the health of professional drivers, significantly impairing their ability to concentrate after setting off. The suspension of the restriction is also justified in order to preserve the quality of the goods transported and to ensure that they reach their destination as quickly as possible, reports Szeretlek Magyarország.

The extreme weather conditions also cause several natural damages throughout Europe. As a result of record-breaking temperatures and the lack of rain, massive drought can be expected in Hungary, which is forecast to increase further by the end of the week. Ten of the twelve water management districts have already been declared under water emergency alert. Besides Mediterranean countries, forest fires may also occur in Hungary due to the high temperatures. All over the country – including the Buda Hills, the Pilis, the Visegrád Hills and the Gödöllő Hills -, fires are banned, even in designated fireplaces. In this emergency situation, the concerned areas are monitored with increased attention. Additionally, visitors are also asked to notify the authorities if they witness sign of fire in the natural areas.

Hungarian lowlands may also be affected by the fires. In the middle of the week, several hectares of the Hortobágy National Park were on fire. The fire spread so widely that road closures were necessary in the affected region. Firefighters used a great deal of effort to control the fire, reports Blikk.