SUFFOCATING temperatures yesterday engulfed the island for yet another unbearably hot day, hitting a maximum 42 degrees centigrade inland.
According to the weather services, the heat wave is set to continue until Monday from when temperatures are expected steadily to drop.
Yesterday’s heat prompted another Labour Ministry announcement issued to all employers to ensure their employees were not exposed to direct sunlight between the hours of 12 noon and 4pm.
Assistant Operations Manager at the Transmission System Operator, Christos Toufexis, said the maximum demand for electricity at around lunchtime was 1006 megawatts (MW), lower than Thursday’s demand.
“The available power is 1038MW for the whole day,” he said.
Toufexis added that he did not foresee any need for power cuts as the island’s power stations had not had any problems.
But despite the welcome news of a drop in temperature after the weekend, many locals remained unhappy at the prospect of enduring another day like yesterday.
“I can’t take this any more,” Antonis Andreou, 42, said.
Andreou, who had nipped out to pick up his lunch from a Ledra Street restaurant in Nicosia, said if he had known it was going to be this hot he’d have ordered delivery.
“I think I’m going to faint. I can hardly breathe. This is awful,” he said.
Janet Michael, 28, who was also out at around noon said she was going to order a salad and get straight back to the office to the relief of the air conditioner.
“I can’t imagine eating anything else. My appetite has simply vanished. I ordinarily would have something more filling like pulses or meatballs and potatoes but just the thought of anything that heavy makes me feel nauseous,” she said.
The only solution to combat the ill effects the heat appears to be having on the public is a day by the sea.
“It’s lovely just to lie by the beach and take a dip in the sea to cool off. I wouldn’t recommend it between the hours of 12pm and 2pm though,” Natalie Ioannou said.
But Ioannou, who lives in Limassol, said unless you were going to the beach, the coastal town was just as unbearable as the capital, particularly in the evening.
“It’s just as bad and at night it’s really awful and humid. You just don’t want to do anything,” she said.
Andri Christou, 30, said she had planned on staying in Nicosia for the weekend but after hearing the weather forecast had changed her plans.
“My husband is away so I thought I’d spare myself the hassle and stay in Nicosia with our kids. I’ve decided the hassle is worth it compared to putting up with another minute of this and so we’re going to Protaras till Sunday evening,” she said.
Even tourists who normally grin and bear it, attempting to squeeze in as much sightseeing as possible, yesterday swarmed to the air-conditioned caf?s within the capital’s old town.
“This is far too hot for me. I’d been warned it was a hot time of year to come but last week it had been pretty okay compared to this. All I can say is I’m glad I’m going back tomorrow, even if it is wet and miserable back home,” a 49-year-old Briton said.
“I think I’ll come back in June or September next time. Either that or not come up to Nicosia because at least by the beach you can go for a swim and cool off,” said another.
