Two more tourists have died in Greece after going missing while hiking – the latest in a string of deaths in the country amid ‘historic’ high temperatures.
A Dutch tourist was found lying in a ravine early Saturday morning by a fire brigade drone on the eastern island of Samos.
According to local reports, the 74-year-old was last seen struggling to walk in the heat and was discovered about 300 meters from where he was last seen.
Then on Sunday, a 55-year-old American was found dead by another tourist on a remote rocky beach on Mathraki island, after being reported missing by a friend on Thursday.
The latest deaths came a day after two elderly people died in Cyprus, which was hit by scorching temperatures of 43 degrees Celsius, while parts of southern Europe were battered by unusually high temperatures.
The fatalities also follow the death of much-loved British broadcaster and Mail columnist Michael Mosely, who went missing while walking on the Greek island of Symi.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) seasonal forecast for July, August and September predicts extreme and warmer than average temperatures in the Mediterranean (photo: probability of temperatures being in the highest percentiles of climatology for seasonal averages, with a ‘ above’ temperature. -normal change when crossing the 80th percentile)
Dr. Mosley was found dead on the Greek island of Symi on Sunday morning after taking the wrong turn onto a mountain path
The Parthenon was closed this week and members of the Red Cross were on hand to hand out bottled water as temperatures rose across the continent
A number of holidaymakers remain missing on the Greek islands as the sweltering heat continues, including two French women and an American man named Albert Calibet.
A frantic search is underway for the former LA deputy sheriff, who was last seen hiking on the tiny island of Amorgos.
The two Frenchmen – aged 73 and 64 – are also still missing on the island of Sikinos.
British holidaymakers heading to Greece and Turkey are being warned to prepare for the unusually high temperatures hitting the holiday hotspots this week.
Meteorologist Panos Giannopoulos told Greek state television channel ERT: “This heat wave will go down in history.
‘In the 20th century we never had a heat wave before June 19. We’ve had several in the 21st century, but none before June 15.”
The scorching conditions are expected to continue this week and throughout the month, according to Greek meteorologist Giorgos Tsatrafillias.
‘Undoubtedly, June is developing as one of the warmest months this year. “In terms of developments, the initial assessment (not forecast) for the continuation of summer is that the coming months will also be warmer than normal,” he said.
He added, citing the Copernicus Climate Change Service, that there is more than a 60 percent chance that temperatures will be above normal levels in July-August-September.
Pictured: The Copernicus Climate Change Service map predicts temperatures in the 30s across much of southern Europe this week
Firefighters in Cyprus have struggled to battle the spread of fires and high winds this week
Firefighters from the Cyprus Forests Department extinguish a fire that broke out in the village of Choulou in western Cyprus on June 12
On Friday, an 84-year-old woman died a day after being hospitalized, state health agency spokesman Charalambos Charilaou said.
As temperatures rose to 45 degrees Celsius, the death of a 91-year-old woman was reported on the same day.
Health officials said a woman died of heatstroke at Nicosia General Hospital.
Charilaou told reporters that the woman suffered two cardiac arrests upon arrival at Nicosia’s emergency department.
“After investigating the incident, emergency room doctors determined that the cardiac arrest was the result of heat stroke,” Charilaou said.
He said hospitals have been dealing with cases of heat exhaustion for several days.
At least another five elderly patients were treated in hospitals with severe symptoms of heatstroke.
On Friday, Cyprus issued its first red alert for summer due to extreme heat, with the Meteorological Service confirming maximum temperatures reached 45 degrees Celsius.
Due to the extremely high temperatures, the Labor Inspection Department stopped heavy and medium outdoor work in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, temperatures in Turkey have also risen to between eight and twelve degrees above normal for this time of year.
A frantic search is underway for former LA Police Department deputy Albert Calibet, who was last seen hiking on the small island of Amorgos.
Weather experts say heat waves above 40 degrees Celsius are lasting longer.
The Copernicus mid-season forecast (C3S) – covering July, August and September – points to possible extreme weather throughout the summer.
“The latter part of the European summer is likely to be warmer than average everywhere (with an above-normal chance of exceeding the 80th percentile of climatology for seasonal averages), drier than average in the south and wetter than average in the far north,” it say.
Amid hot and dry conditions, forest fires have gripped parts of Greece, with firefighters battling the blazes on Friday and into the weekend.
Last week, 49 residents in two communities in the island’s western district of Paphos were evacuated to hotels as a wildfire threatened their homes, while planes from Greece and Jordan joined the firefighting efforts.
Greece was also forced to close its famous Acropolis to tourists this week as the country braced for a 43 degree Celsius heatwave.
The Acropolis Hill, including the Parthenon temple, was closed from noon to 5pm local time on Wednesday, while Red Cross workers were on hand to offer free bottled water to tourists.
Many schools were also told to close until the end of the week.
The orders were followed by fires that consumed nearly 175,000 hectares of forest and farmland, according to the Athens National Observatory.
In central Athens, the mercury climbed to 42 degrees Celsius, with expected heat prompting health warnings and school closures.
The body of an unnamed American man was found by another tourist on a rocky beach on the remote island of Mathraki near Corfu on Sunday morning.
Even higher temperatures were recorded on the island of Crete – 44.5 degrees Celsius – and on the Peloponnese peninsula – 43.9 degrees Celsius – according to the Athens National Observatory’s website meteo.gr.
Temperatures are determined by southerly winds that drag hot air and dust north from North Africa.
Last year, the country suffered deadly forest fires and floods during the summer holidays, forcing tens of thousands of people to be evacuated.