Europe closes landmarks and feeds animals ice cream due to 'hellish heat'

Southern European countries, in particular Greece, Croatia and Italy, have been hit by a wave of “hellish heat,” reports the American television channel CNN.

According to him, the local Ministry of Culture in Greece has ordered the closure of the country's largest cultural landmark, the Athenian Acropolis, during the day. Access to it will be closed from midday to five o'clock in the evening. Because of this, the TV channel notes, tourists wishing to visit the Parthenon temple located in the Acropolis are forced to line up from early morning. Red Cross volunteers are distributing water to those waiting in line.

"We did that and quickly left, and now we're going to the air conditioners, have another drink and enjoy the day," said Toby Dunlap, a tourist from Pennsylvania who came to Athens after visiting the Acropolis. "It's hot up there, that's true. If you're not prepared, you'll sweat," he added.

According to CNN, the hot weather in Greece is caused by a flow of hot air from Africa. According to meteorologists, the peak of the heat is expected on July 21, when the air temperature will reach 43 degrees Celsius.

In Italy, a heatwave has prompted authorities in 13 cities to issue warnings, including urging older people in Verona to stay indoors and installing water sprinklers in the streets.

In Rome, where temperatures rose to 38 degrees Celsius, the city zoo administration began feeding animals ice cream.

"It feels like we're in an oven with a hairdryer pointed at us," said Patrizia Valerio, who flew to the Italian capital for a Coldplay concert. Another spectator of the concert, Mattia Rossi, noted that what's happening with the weather in Italy is evidence of global climate change.

In turn, Croatian authorities reported that the water temperature in the Adriatic Sea reached its highest ever recorded, approaching 30 degrees Celsius. And in Serbia, the state energy company reported record electricity consumption due to the massive use of air conditioners.

The abnormal heat has caused forest fires in North Macedonia, the largest of which, according to CNN, stretched for almost 30 kilometers. And in Albania, the heat has forced the government to change the work schedule of civil servants, who have been allowed to switch to remote work.

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