BUDAPEST, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Hungary is preparing for what the health authorities described as the country's most severe heatwave in two decades, with emergency measures.
The announcement was made on Thursday at a press conference following a government meeting. Temperatures are expected to reach 38-40 degrees Celsius in some areas of Hungary in the coming days.
Chief medical officer Beatrix Oroszi announced that a third-degree heat alert, the highest level, will take effect nationwide from Saturday, warning that the country is facing an exceptionally intense and potentially dangerous period of extreme heatwave.
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said at the press conference that the authorities had introduced a series of emergency measures to mitigate the impacts of the heatwave and protect vulnerable groups.
An extraordinary public information campaign will begin at midnight on Friday on official government platforms and through the prime minister's social media channels. The authorities have also ordered the production of several million bags of drinking water for public distribution, if needed.
Magyar urged residents to conserve water by avoiding unnecessary garden irrigation and topping up swimming pool during the heatwave, noting that water restrictions remain limited but could expand if conditions worsen.
The government has suspended weekend truck driving ban to facilitate transport and logistics. The national railway operator MAV has activated its emergency response center to prepare for possible service disruptions caused by the temperatures.
In addition, Magyar called on public institutions and employers to make wider use of home office arrangements on Monday and Tuesday, where feasible, to help reduce commuting during the expected peak of the heatwave. ■