Majorca: Tragedy as tourist dies of heatstroke as 9am to 2pm outdoor ban in force | World | News
A Dutch tourist died from heatstroke while out hiking with friends in Majorca. The 34-year-old was walking on the Camí de Son Sales trail near Sóller, when he collapsed in the hot weather.
His friends called the emergency services at 2.50pm, who dispatched medics to the scene to provide aid. Unfortunately, they were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The temperature at the time of the tragic incident was around 30C, although humidity was much higher than in recent days.
Heat-related deaths are rapidly increasing across Europe as climate change leads to ever-higher temperatures.
The World Health Organisation says that 175,000 people die from heat-related causes every year in Europe and that figure is set to rise even higher as the planet continues to warm
Dr Hans Kluge, a Regional Director for the organisation, said: “In the European region, heat stress is the leading cause of climate-related death.”
He explained that extreme temperatures exacerbate chronic conditions such as cardiovascular, respiratory and cerebrovascular diseases.
While meteorologists are forecasting a whopping 47 °C this weekend for some parts of Spain.
The hot weather has triggered wildfires in both Italy and Greece, with warnings also issued in France and Portugal.
Authorities in Greece evacuated homes and dispatched water-bombing aircraft as 130 firefighters battled wildfires that erupted south of Athens on Friday.
They also banned outdoor activities for builders and delivery staff from 9am to 2pm (GMT) and advised against unnecessary travel.
