Balkans Battle Extreme Weather: Storms, Fires, and Heatwaves

The Balkans have been hit hard by extreme weather recently. First, there was a heatwave. Temperatures soared to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). This made conditions very dangerous. Then, sudden storms brought relief but also caused damage. In Croatia, a powerful storm hit the city of Split. Strong winds and hail damaged buildings, including the Poljud soccer stadium. A ferry broke loose and sank a small boat. Three people were hurt. The storm didn't stop there. It moved on to Bosnia and Serbia. In Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, a crane at a construction site fell over. One person was injured. The storm also disrupted flights at the airport. While the storm brought some relief, Serbia has been struggling with over 600 wildfires. These fires have destroyed properties and endangered villages. Six people were injured. The drought has been so severe that drinking water supplies are restricted. Officials have warned people to be careful. The dry and hot weather makes fires more likely. Some areas have even declared a state of emergency. Experts say that these extreme weather conditions are linked to climate change. Earlier in July, other parts of Europe also experienced extremely hot weather and wildfires.