Authorities on Monday issued a yellow weather warning that at 42 degrees Celsius it would be the hottest day or the year so far.
The met office said the yellow warning, which aims to notify those who are at risk because of their location and/or activity, was extended from Sunday and it concerned inland and mountainous areas. Coastal areas are excluded from the warning.
On Monday temperatures are expected to reach 36C in the eastern coast, 35C in the south coast and 33C in the western and northern coasts. In the mountainous areas, temperatures are expected to reach 32C while there is also the possibility of rain, the met office said.
The heatwave is expected to continue on Tuesday, while temperatures are expected to drop to 39C from Wednesday.
Temperatures are higher than seasonal average of 37C, the met office said, but humidity levels have decreased and are expected to drop further.
Members of the public are urged to avoid unnecessary movement, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol consumption, and take light meals, while the sick and the elderly should stay indoors.
The labour inspection service warned employers and the self employed to take precautions due to the high temperatures to avoid excessive heat exposure, and refrain from performing heavy duty activities.
All employers and the self-employed, the announcement said, are also obliged to take necessary measures after risk assessment to protect workers and themselves from heat exposure.
As regards to power consumption, the electricity production capacity is able to meet the increased demand due to the use of air conditioning units and other cooling devices, the energy transmission operator Christos Christodoulides said.
He added that no problems are expected despite that demand would probably reach 950 megawatts (MW) on Monday, since power supply capacity is 1200MW. The last few days he said, the biggest recorded demand was 850MW.
The forestry department also warned that the high temperatures posed increased risk of fire hazards and said that all services are ready to respond in cases of fire alerts in forests.
Members of the public are urged to avoid lighting fires and using tools that produce sparks or flames while in holiday homes or outdoors and not to throw cigarette butts or around matches in rural and forest areas.
If you see smoke or fire in wooded areas call 1407 or 112.
Nicosia Municipality announced its cooling-down facility at the capital’s multi-purpose centre would be open between 7.30am and 6pm.
The centre, which is located in the old municipality’s nursing home in 40 Nikiforos Fokas street near Famagusta gate, will offer cool refreshments in its air-conditioned rooms for the next couple of days, the announcement said.
For more info call 22 877850.
Source: Cyprus-Mail