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Met Office increases health alert level as UK hot weather continues Met Office issues heatwave alert as temperatures pass 30C for fifth day
(about 3 hours later)
The Met Office has issued a heatwave action alert for London and south-eastern England, warning social and healthcare services to focus on those most at risk from the current high temperatures, such as the very young, the very old and those with chronic diseases. The Met Office has issued a heatwave alert for London and south-eastern England, warning social and health workers to focus on the very young, the very old and those with chronic diseases as temperatures rose past 30C for a fifth consecutive day.
The level-three alert was triggered after the Met Office determined that there was a 90% probability of heatwave conditions in parts of England on Wednesday and Thursday. The warning came as emergency services urged the public to take care when trying to cool down after four people died in swimming accidents on Tuesday.
The level-three heatwave action alert was triggered after the Met Office determined that there was a 90% probability of heatwave conditions in parts of England on Wednesday and Thursday.
Until 9am on Wednesday, London and south-eastern England had been included in a level-two alert – issued when a 60% probability of heatwave conditions is detected – along with the East Midlands and the east of England. The north-east and north-west of England remain on a level-one alert.Until 9am on Wednesday, London and south-eastern England had been included in a level-two alert – issued when a 60% probability of heatwave conditions is detected – along with the East Midlands and the east of England. The north-east and north-west of England remain on a level-one alert.
"Temperatures are expected to reach or come very close to level-three heat health watch criteria in London and south-east England," said the Met Office."Temperatures are expected to reach or come very close to level-three heat health watch criteria in London and south-east England," said the Met Office.
"Elsewhere temperatures may come close to criteria; however, certainty is lower, giving a level-two heat health watch in all but the north-east and north-west of England.""Elsewhere temperatures may come close to criteria; however, certainty is lower, giving a level-two heat health watch in all but the north-east and north-west of England."
A level-four alert marks the point at which a severe prolonged heatwave is declared a national emergency.A level-four alert marks the point at which a severe prolonged heatwave is declared a national emergency.
Police and fire chiefs reiterated their warnings about the dangers of swimming in open water after a teenager and a man died while swimming at a Norfolk beauty spot.
The 16-year-old boy, who was from London but had been staying in Ely, Cambridgeshire, and a 41-year-old man, from King's Lynn, were found dead in separate lakes at Bawsey Pits, Norfolk, on Tuesday night.
It is believed the man had swum about 45 metres (150ft) out in one of the flooded quarries towards an island when he was seen disappearing below the water.
In an unrelated incident, the teenager was reported missing at another lake about half a mile away.
After searches were launched at 4.30pm, the body of the man was found at 7.24pm while the teenager was found at 9.25pm.
Both were found entangled in reeds about two metres (6ft) below the surface, Norfolk's chief fire officer, Nigel Williams, said.
In Cornwall, a woman died while swimming in the sea and a man died after getting into difficulties while in a river on the border between Shropshire and north Wales.
The 40-year-old woman, from Saltash, suffered a "medical episode" while swimming at Seaton, near Torpoint.
Devon and Cornwall police said an off-duty officer pulled the woman from the water but she was pronounced dead after being airlifted to Derriford hospital in Plymouth.
Emergency services were called to a location near the confluence of the rivers Dee and Ceiriog, near Chirk, on Tuesday night.
West Mercia police said the man, believed to be 21 and from Shropshire, was airlifted to the Royal Shrewsbury hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Forecasters say there is no end in sight to the hot, sticky days and long, muggy nights of the heatwave. Wednesday could prove the hottest day of the year, with temperatures expected to rise as high as 32C (89.7F) in parts of England.Forecasters say there is no end in sight to the hot, sticky days and long, muggy nights of the heatwave. Wednesday could prove the hottest day of the year, with temperatures expected to rise as high as 32C (89.7F) in parts of England.
Gemma Plumb, a forecaster with MeteoGroup – the weather division of the Press Association – said the current heatwave was the longest period of hot weather since 2006.Gemma Plumb, a forecaster with MeteoGroup – the weather division of the Press Association – said the current heatwave was the longest period of hot weather since 2006.
"Normally we can expect it to reach 20-22C (68-71.6F) in England and Wales. Today parts of the Midlands, East Anglia, the south coast and London could see 30C-plus," she said, adding: "At the moment it looks as though the warm weather is going to stay well into next week at least.""Normally we can expect it to reach 20-22C (68-71.6F) in England and Wales. Today parts of the Midlands, East Anglia, the south coast and London could see 30C-plus," she said, adding: "At the moment it looks as though the warm weather is going to stay well into next week at least."
The Met Office said Wednesday would be dry with lengthy spells of sunshine and blue sky for England, Wales and southern Scotland, although it would be cloudier in north-west Scotland and Northern Ireland with the possibility of a few light showers.The Met Office said Wednesday would be dry with lengthy spells of sunshine and blue sky for England, Wales and southern Scotland, although it would be cloudier in north-west Scotland and Northern Ireland with the possibility of a few light showers.
On Tuesday evening, rescue teams recovered the bodies of two men who are thought to have drowned at a popular Norfolk beauty spot.
Emergency services were alerted at 4.30pm to reports that a man had got into difficulties while in the water at Bawsey Pits in west Norfolk. Once there, they were told another man was missing.
After a search involving firefighters, paramedics, police and RAF search and rescue, officers confirmed the discovery of the men's bodies. They have not been identified.
A spokesman for Norfolk police said: "Following two unrelated reports of persons getting into difficulties whilst in the water, the bodies of a boy in his mid-teens and a man in his early 40s were recovered from separate lakes by emergency services during the course of the evening. The body of the older man was discovered at 7.24pm, with the teenage boy's body found later at 9.25pm."
Police have asked people to stay away from the area, where swimming is banned.
In Cornwall, a woman died while swimming in the sea. The 40-year-old, from Saltash, suffered a "medical episode" on Tuesday while swimming at Seaton, near Torpoint. Devon and Cornwall police said an off-duty officer pulled the woman from the water. She was airlifted to Derriford hospital in Plymouth where she was pronounced dead.
The weather has also prompted Northumbria police to warn people not to try to cool down by opening up fire hydrants.The weather has also prompted Northumbria police to warn people not to try to cool down by opening up fire hydrants.
"It may all seem like fun and games, but fire hydrants are there for a very good reason – to save lives," said the Newcastle West police inspector, Mark Farrimond. "It may all seem like fun and games, but fire hydrants are there for a very good reason – to save lives," said the Newcastle West police inspector Mark Farrimond.
"Opening them up is a criminal offence and we take it very seriously. Earlier this month we arrested a 19-year-old man after a hydrant was opened on Belgrave Parade in Elswick.""Opening them up is a criminal offence and we take it very seriously. Earlier this month we arrested a 19-year-old man after a hydrant was opened on Belgrave Parade in Elswick."
As well as affecting water supplies and causing flooding, he added, opening up the hydrants also caused problems for firefighters. As well as affecting water supplies and causing flooding, he added, opening up the hydrants also caused problems for firefighters.
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