Post date: Jan 16, 2014 5:0:18 PM
Parts of south-eastern Australia swelter in a heatwave ,with the city of Melbourneforecast to hit 42 degrees Celsius, and Adelaide reaching 45 degrees Celcius.
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA (JANUARY 16, 2014) (NINE NETWORK) - Parts of southeastern Australia sweltered in a heatwave on Thursday (January 16) with the city of Melbourne peaking at 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 Fahrenheit), and Adelaide reaching 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit).
Tourists and residents took respite where ever they could, under sprinklers, or at the beach. Even the animals at Adelaide Zoo were given cold treats."It's hot. I'm struggling, I need a beer, I need to sit down," said an unidentified woman.
For some, the heat was too much and they had to be seen by paramedics.
"They can suffer heat stroke , dehydration, vomiting and sometimes can lead to shock," warned an unidentified Victorian Ambulance officer.
The privately run Climate Council, which includes former members of a government-funded climate change watchdog shut by Prime Minister Tony Abbott's conservative government last year, warned in a report that Australia had only begun to feel the impact of climate change.
"This is part of a longer term upwards trend and we know the physics of why this occurring. It's simply because we're stacking more heat in the lower atmosphere," said Will Stefan, co-author of the report.
The Australian Open tennis in Melbourne was called to a halt on day four of the tournament as officials enacted the third stage of "Extreme Heat Policy".