The British Government was accused this Sunday of not taking seriously the heat wave that will hit the United Kingdom on Monday as meteorologists believe there could be fatalities.
Resigning Prime Minister Boris Johnson missed a crisis meeting in Downing Street on Saturday, busy bidding farewell to friends at his country home in Checkers, north-west London. And this Sunday, his deputy Dominic Raab seemed delighted that temperatures could break 40 degrees for the first time in England.
“Of course he has some common sense advice: stay hydrated, avoid the sun in the hottest times and put on sunscreen, that sort of thing,” he told Sky News.
But “we must enjoy the sun,” he added, assuring that the country is resilient enough to cope with the heat and that there is no reason for schools to close. These comments have drawn attention among health professionals and meteorologists.
A “risk to life”
“This is not a good sunny day where you can put on some sunscreen, go swimming or eat out,” warned Tracy Nicholls, manager of the College of Paramedics.
“This is severe heat that could actually lead to deaths because it is so fierce,” he added. “We’re not equipped for that kind of heat in this country.”
Transport Minister Kit Malthouse has warned of a “significant disruption” to transport, while London Mayor Sadiq Khan has advised taking public transport only when “absolutely necessary”.
Britain’s Met Office meteorologist issued a ‘red’ extreme heat warning for the first time on Monday and Tuesday, emphasizing there was a ‘risk to life’.
Temperatures could exceed 40 degrees in London, a first for the country. The absolute record recorded in the United Kingdom dates back to July 25, 2019, when the mercury reached a maximum of 38.7 degrees in Cambridge, in the east of England. Ambulance services are in a state of crisis and schools have already announced that they will remain closed.
Source: BFM TV
