Balkans brace for heatwave

By Radu Marinas

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania declared "Code Red" on Monday as the death toll from a week-long heatwave rose to 18, Greece called a state of emergency, forecasting temperatures of 45 Celsius, and forest fires raged in Bulgaria.

Romanian Health Minister Eugen Nicolaescu said three Romanians had died in the last 24 hours and urged people to cancel outdoor travel in the hottest part of the day.

"Code Red will be enforced for July 24 in five southern counties and in the capital Bucharest," he told journalists after an emergency meeting. The government also banned outdoor work, including construction, in the hottest hours.

Sporadic blackouts hit parts of Bucharest, including the government headquarters, because of demand from energy-hungry air conditioners as temperatures soared to 42 Celsius (107 Fahrenheit).

In the previous 24 hours around 16,000 people suffering from the heat went to Romanian hospitals and 700 fainted in the street. Thousands of water wells have dried out and supermarkets have reported shortages of sparkling water.

Meteorologists forecast three days of rising temperatures in the region's second heatwave this year. More than 35 people died in Romania, Turkey and Greece in June when the mercury shot up to 46 Celsius.

In Greece, the Health Ministry activated an emergency plan to deal with possible mass hospitalisations and power outages.

"We have been on full alert since Friday, increasing the number of staff on duty," said Dimitris Pirros, national first aid centre spokesman.