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Red Cross warns Europe's heatwave is a life-or-death risk for vulnerable people
🇱🇹 Lithuania /Disasters & Emergencies

Red Cross warns Europe's heatwave is a life-or-death risk for vulnerable people

From Delfi · () Lithuanian

Translated from Lithuanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The Red Cross warns that intense heat across Europe poses a life-or-death risk to vulnerable populations.
  • Extreme temperatures, both outdoors and indoors, are a serious health threat, with thousands at risk if no action is taken.
  • The organization urges people to take the heatwave seriously, follow official guidance, and check on those most at risk.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has issued a stark warning: the intense heatwave gripping Europe could soon become a matter of life and death for the most vulnerable.

A serious health threat is looming in the coming days. If no action is taken, extreme temperatures could quickly become a matter of life and death for thousands of people across Europe.

— Mary FrielSpeaking at a press conference in Geneva, Mary Friel, a senior climate policy specialist at the IFRC, described the potential dangers of the heatwave.

"A serious health threat is looming in the coming days," said Mary Friel, a senior climate policy specialist at IFRC, during a press conference in Geneva. She emphasized that without immediate action, extreme temperatures could rapidly become fatal for thousands across the continent. The IFRC is urging everyone to treat the heatwave with the utmost seriousness and to actively protect those most at risk.

IFRC calls on people to take this heatwave seriously and to look after the most vulnerable people to save lives.

— Mary FrielThe Red Cross representative urged public action to mitigate the risks posed by the heat.

Friel highlighted that vulnerable groups, including the elderly, children, pregnant women, individuals with chronic illnesses, outdoor workers, and the homeless, are bearing the brunt of the heat's devastating impact. National Red Cross societies are responding by visiting people at home, setting up cooling centers in cities, providing first aid, and sharing practical advice. "Early action helps save lives, so we urge everyone to take action," Friel stated, noting that indoor heat often poses a hidden danger, particularly to those with limited mobility and chronic conditions.

Early action helps save lives, so we urge everyone to take action.

— Mary FrielFriel stressed the importance of preventative measures in combating heat-related illnesses.

Scientists have linked recurring heatwaves to global warming, warning that they will become more frequent, longer, and more intense due to the burning of fossil fuels. The IFRC considers climate change and extreme heat a major public health threat and one of the most significant humanitarian challenges of our time.

Heat indoors often poses a hidden danger, especially to those with limited mobility and chronic illnesses.

— Mary FrielFriel pointed out that indoor environments can also become dangerously hot, posing risks to specific groups.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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