Public urged to check on elderly people during high temperature warning

Vivienne Clarke

Keith Leonard of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management has called on the public to check on elderly people during the high temperatures, especially those living alone.

Met Éireann has issued a nationwide status yellow high temperature warning between midday on Tuesday and 9am on Friday.

It comes on top of an overall weather advisory which came into effect from midday on Monday.

The weather forecaster said daytime temperatures will exceed 25C with temperatures possibly reaching 30C on Thursday.

Leonard said these weather conditions can be a "real strain for older people", and urged the public to "check their houses are cool and that they have plenty of cold drinks and that they appear comfortable".

He told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that another risk during warm weather is drowning, and urged people to swim only in areas where there is a lifeguard.

“If there's no life guard, don't get in. Swim where you can be seen. Lakes, reservoirs, and disused quarries are much colder than the sea, and they often hide a lot of hazards and can trap swimmers, or where swimmers can get out of their depth very quickly.

“If you see somebody in trouble, call 999 and ask for the coast guard. Don't delay.”

Leonard said he understood the temptation to swim in areas like reservoirs and quarries, but said every time there is hot weather, there is an increase in drownings in areas like disused quarries, lakes, and reservoirs.

There is also a risk of wildfire, and he called on people not to light barbeques in wildland areas.

“Be very mindful of any activity, human activity, that could lead to a fire starting. Again, once wildfires start, they're very difficult to extinguish," he said.

Even though the weather is hot, there was also a risk of thunderstorms with the possibility of flash floods, he added.