'Unprecedented heat' prompts Tehran to declare next two days holidays
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The Health Ministry said that hospitals will be placed on high alert during this holiday.
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Tehran. Photo: AFP
Tehran authorities have declared that Wednesday and Thursday this week will be made public holidays due to the "unprecedented heat" that has swept the country.
The reason is owed to the fact that excessive exposure to heat poses a serious health concern for the elderly and people with health conditions.
Several cities in the South have already been swept by heatwaves that last for several days.
In the southern city of Ahvaz, temperatures had this week surpassed 123 degrees Fahrenheit (51 Celsius), State media reports.
The Health Ministry said that hospitals will be placed on high alert during this holiday.
State media reported that temperatures in Tehran are forecasted to reach 39 C this Wednesday.
Read more: Relentless US heat wave sizzles into August
On July 27, the UN said that July is possibly the hottest month ever recorded in history.
The first three weeks alone registered global average temperatures above any comparative period.
Given this, the World Meteorological Organization and Europe's Copernicus Climate Change Service said it is "extremely likely that July 2023 will be the hottest July and also the hottest month on record".
The summer's heat has prompted several countries across the globe to issue safety warnings to citizens, advising them to take necessary precautions and shelter themselves from excessive heat exposure to avoid the risk of heat strokes and other maladies.
Read more: Temperatures hit new record highs across the globe
