Weather alert continues over the weekend

THE emergency services in the Balearics are still on the weather alert, as the heatwave continues, with the Met Office predicting temperatures of up to 42º C in some areas. Temperatures will be “significantly high” in the Balearics, the weather man reported yesterday.
The committee set up by the local government to monitor the heat wave has decided to maintain the alert at level 2 (moderate risk) over the weekend.
This means that the committee will provide daily information on predicted temperatures, and instructions as to what to do in the case of health problems caused by the heat. Level 2 is declared when the temperature is expected to exceed the normal maximum and minimum on three of the next five days.
The health ministry is also providing constant information on measures to be taken to avoid the negative effects of the heat, which include drinking plenty of water, avoiding heavy meals and alcohol, wearing light clothing and not going out in the hottest part of the day. The recommendations are aimed in particular at the over 65s, children, and people with chronic illnesses.
It is not just people who are feeling the effects of the heat: bathers at Cala Varques in the municipality of Manacor were astonished to find themselves sharing the beach with cows yesterday. Locals have two explanations: one is that the cows are merely seeking a little relief from the heat, the other is that the farmer himself lets the cows loose to frighten off people from the beach. Ibanat, the Balearic Nature Institute, has doubled its vigilance this weekend, to reduce the risk of forest fires, one of the biggest threats of the summer. A spokesman for the environment ministry said that the special fire watch includes an analysis of the areas most at risk every two hours.