THE HEATWAVE continued unabated yesterday, peaking at 39 degrees inland with no drop in humidity, causing power cuts in Nicosia and Larnaca, increased hospital admissions and even a uniform change for the National Guard
Power cuts took place between 5.40pm and 6.05 on Tuesday night after high temperatures and heavy electrical load, from widespread use of air conditioning machines caused the failure of underground cables in the Electricity Authority (EAC’s) garden and the Municipal theatre area. Energy consumption peaked at 1092 megawatts at 1.45 pm.
The wires were replaced before midnight with no further disruption to the public.
Christodoulos Kaisis, Head of Medical Services, said yesterday that increasing numbers of patients were being admitted to emergency rooms, the majority suffering from heat exhaustion.
Those admitted to Limassol were especially unlucky after hospital air conditioning units broke down for the second time this summer. Chairman of the House Health Committee, DISY’s Costas Constantinou slammed the hospital’s inadequate management of the issue.
He said: “When there is a high increase in temperatures, which in the past few days has been unbearable, the patients’ lives on the wards become even harder.”
He said he was told technicians had been asked to sort the problem, but said it would take at least until September to fix properly.
“This problem must be resolved swiftly and permanently, to put an end to the hassles suffered by the patients and workers at Limassol general hospital.”
The national Guard have also been forced to adapt to the “unprecedented” heat wave. New recruits will finish their training at 10am instead of noon, and troops are to be issued with shorts. They will not be required to wear their helmets. The decisions were taken parents of conscripts reported at least 10 instances of fainting and dizzy spells
General Petros Tsalikides, confirmed that the instances of fainting had occurred, but said they were not related to the heat.
In response the ongoing hot and humid conditions, the Public Works Department reissued a Labour Ministry statement yesterday to all employees and self employed persons, advising against outdoor work between noon and 4pm.
However, the statements do not place a legal requirement on employers to stop work during these hours and Lefteris Georgiades, general secretary of the builder’s trade union (PEO), said that small businesses in the building industry were largely ignoring the advice. He said since this was not a law, there was no mechanism in place for employees to file complaints against bosses who made them work during the hottest part of the day.
Leandros Nicolaides, Head of the labour inspection department, disagreed. He said that employees could file legal complaints, that only a few employers continued through the heat, and that their number was smaller than in recent years.
The health service has advised against all unnecessary activity and exposure to sun during the middle of the day and recommended wearing hats, light, loose clothing and sunglasses. They also advised against drinking alcohol or eating chocolate and fatty foods, which can cause dehydration.
