Two extra vacationers die in excessive temperatures in Greece amid heatwave

Two more tourists have died in Greece after going missing while out on walks – the latest in a string of deaths in the country amid ‘history-making’ high temperatures.

A Dutch tourist was found lying face down in a ravine by a fire service drone on the eastern island of Samos early on Saturday morning.

The 74-year-old had last been seen struggling to walk in the heat, according to local reports, and was discovered around 300 metres 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 the island of Mathraki after he was reported missing by a friend on Thursday.

The latest deaths came a day after two elderly people died in Cyprus, which has been hit by scorching temperatures pushing 43C as parts of southern Europe have been gripped by unseasonably high temperatures.

The fatalities also follow the death of beloved British broadcaster and Mail columnist Michael Mosley, who went missing while out for a hike on the Greek island of Symi.

A number of holidaymakers remain missing on Greek islands as the blistering heat continues, including two French women and an American man named as Albert Calibet.

A frantic search is underway for the former LA Sheriff’s Department Deputy, who was last seen hiking on the small island of Amorgos.

The two French nationals – aged 73 and 64 – also remain missing on the island of Sikinos.

British holidaymakers heading to Greece and Turkey are being warned to prepare for the unseasonably high temperatures hitting holiday hotspots this week.

Meteorologist Panos Giannopoulos told the Greek state television channel, ERT: ‘This heatwave will go down in history. 

‘In the 20th century, we never had a heatwave before June 19. We have had several in the 21st century, but none before June 15.’ 

Scorching confitions are expected to continue this week and throughout the month, according to Greek meteorologist Giorgos Tsatrafillias.

‘Undoubtedly, June this year is developing as one of the hottest months. In terms of developments, the first estimate (not forecast) for the continuation of summer is that the following months will also be warmer than usual,’ he said.

He added, citing the Copernicus Climate Change Service, that the probability that temperatures will be above normal levels in July-August-September is more than 60 per cent.

On Friday, an 84-year-old woman died a day after being admitted to hospital, State Health Services Organisation spokesman Charalambos Charilaou said.

As temperatures pushed 45C (113F), the death of a 91-year-old woman was reported on the same day.

Health officials said a woman died at Nicosia General Hospital suffering from heatstroke.

Charilaou told reporters the woman suffered a cardiac arrest twice on arrival at Nicosia’s accident and emergency department.

‘After investigating the incident, A&E doctors determined that the cardiac arrest was a result of heatstroke,’ Charilaou said.

He said hospitals have been dealing with cases of heat exhaustion for several days.

At least another five elderly patients were being treated in hospitals with severe symptoms of heatstroke. 

On Friday, Cyprus issued its first red alert of the summer for extreme heat, with the Meteorological Department confirming that maximum temperatures reached 45 degrees Celsius.

Due to the extremely high temperatures, the Department of Labour Inspection halted heavy and moderate outdoor work during the afternoon.

Meanwhile in Turkey, temperatures have also soared to between eight and 12 degrees above the norm for this time of year.

Weather experts say that heatwaves of over 40C are becoming longer in duration. 

The Copernicus’s (C3S) mid-range seasonal forecast – which covers 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 above-normal chance of exceeding the 80th percentile of climatology for seasonal means), drier than average in the south and wetter than average in the far north,’ it says.

Amid hot and dry conditions, wildfires have gripped parts of Greece, with firefighters battling blazes on Friday and into the weekend. 

Last week, 49 residents in two communities in the island’s western Paphos district were evacuated to hotels as a wildfire threatened their homes, while aircraft from Greece and Jordan joined the firefighting efforts.

Greece was also forced to close its famous Acropolis to tourists this week as it braced for a 43C (109F) heatwave.

The Acropolis hill, including the Parthenon temple, was shut from noon to 5pm local time on Wednesday, with Red Cross staff on hand to offer free bottles of water to tourists.

Many schools were also told to close until the end of the week.

The orders were followed by fires that, according to the National Observatory of Athens, consumed nearly 175,000 hectares (432,000 acres) of forest and farmland.

In central Athens, the mercury climbed to 42C, with the forecast heat prompting health warnings and school closures.

Still hotter temperatures were recorded on the island of Crete – 44.5C – and on the Peloponnese peninsula – 43.9 degrees Celsius – according to the meteo.gr website of the Athens National Observatory.

Temperatures are being driven by southerly winds dragging hot air and dust north from North Africa.

Last year, the country weathered deadly wildfires and flooding through the summer holiday season, causing the evacuations of tens of thousands of people.