POLL: Should Greece do more to warn tourists about heatwave dangers?

Tyler Mitchell By Tyler Mitchell Jun19,2024

The death of Dr Michael Mosley on the Greek island of Symi earlier this month brought Britain’s attention to the heatwave currently engulfing the Mediterranean country. 

The beloved medical expert, who popularised the 5:2 diet, died of natural causes after he is believed to have got lost on his way back to the accommodation he was staying at with his wife. 

In recent weeks, four other holidaymakers have died in Greece including a 55-year-old American and a 74-year-old Dutch tourist, who were found in Mathraki and Samos respectively. Two hikers also lost their lives in Crete.

Three other people are still missing, including two French women, who are believed to have gone hiking together on Sikinos before their disappearance, and an American national who was holidaying on the island of Amorgos.

The Greek Tourism Ministry has urged people to “remain vigilant” as the extreme heat continues to grip the country, adding it was working with other ministries to ensure travellers were being kept informed. 

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Another warning came from the head of the island of Samos’s rescue team, Dimitris Katatzis, who said holidaymakers may not be wise to the risks of going outside amid a heatwave. 

Mr Katatzis said tourists were prone to “veering off track” while hiking, adding he had seen foreigners “walking a trail in 41C without hats”, something which he believes “defies logic”. 

In some areas, people have been urged to stay indoors between 11am and 3pm amid fears of heat-related deaths, and the Acropolis in Athens was closed during some afternoons last week.

However, some tourists who have travelled to Greece in recent days said not to have seen any warning issued – while conceding care should always be practised during a heatwave. 

Meteorologist Panos Giannopoulos highlighted the extraordinary nature of the current heat in Greece.

He told Greek state television channel ERT: “This heatwave will go down in history. In the 20th century, we never had a heatwave before 19 June. We have had several in the 21st century, but none before 15 June.” 

Tyler Mitchell

By Tyler Mitchell

Tyler is a renowned journalist with years of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, entertainment, and technology. His insightful analysis and compelling storytelling have made him a trusted source for breaking news and expert commentary.

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