Serbia and Southeast Europe swelter in extreme heat

An intense heatwave is sweeping this week across Serbia and much of Southeast Europe, bringing temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius. Health risks are mounting pressure on emergency services. 

Meteorologists warn that the current spell of extreme weather is unlikely to be the last this summer, as forecasts point to temperatures rollercoaster across the Balkans. 

In Serbia, the impact is already being felt in hospitals and ambulance services. At the Emergency Medical Center in Novi Sad, dispatchers, doctors and ambulance crews are handling a sharp increase in emergency calls linked to heat-related illnesses. 

Medical staff report significantly more patients suffering from dehydration, exhaustion, cardiovascular complications and other conditions aggravated by prolonged exposure to high temperatures.

Health authorities have identified older people, young children and those with chronic illnesses as the groups most vulnerable during the current heatwave. They continue to advise residents to remain indoors during the hottest part of the day, drink plenty of water and avoid strenuous outdoor activity whenever possible. 

Similar recommendations have been issued by the Serbian Institute of Public Health and the Republic Hydrometeorological Service as high-temperature warnings remain in force across much of the country.

The effects of the heat are visible in all Serbian towns. As a landlocked country, parks and public fountains have become the best gathering places for residents seeking relief. Air conditioning has become a household necessity, although some residents continue to rely on fans and natural shade to stay cool while trying to limit electricity consumption.

The heatwave extends well beyond Serbia. 

Meteorological agencies across Southeast Europe have issued similar warnings as exceptionally high temperatures affect Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania and parts of Bulgaria. 

The prolonged hot and dry conditions have also increased the risk of wildfires, placing additional pressure on emergency services throughout the region. Similar weather patterns have repeatedly affected the Balkans in recent summers, a trend many scientists associate with a warming climate and more frequent extreme weather events. 

Forecasters expect the current hot spell to continue for several more days before a temporary cooling period arrives in some areas. However, weather models indicate that new waves of extreme heat are likely later in the summer.