News of: Wednesday, July 19 2006,
Today the second heatwave of this year has been reached in Holland. The hot weather is expected to continue for a while.
Officially, there is a heatwave if in the town of De Bilt a temperature has been reached of at least 25 degrees Centigrade, and of these 5 days at least 3 days a temperature of 30 degrees has been measured.
Weatherforecasters say this heatwave may continue for 1 to 2 weeks.
The hot weather has already caused several problems, and more may come:
- the famous Four Days Marches in Nijmegen have been cancelled after the first day, after 2 participants died while walking. Several others are still in hospital.
- in several parts of the country farmers are not allowed to sprinkle the fields any more
- the authorities are taking measures to secure the drinking water supplies in the country.
- the temperature of river water is rising rapidly, which will cause problems for the cooling of electricity plants. Electricity plants already have had to lower their capacity, as yet this causes no supply problems.
- the open swimming waters may be contaminated with blue algae and botulism, both potentially dangerous for swimmers. Warnings have been issued for several recreation lakes already.
- smog may develop in the atmosphere
