'Heat emergency' shuts more than 500 schools in Wales in red weather warning

A "heat emergency" has closed more than 500 schools in Wales as the country faces a two-day red weather warning.

Schools have closed or partly closed across mid and south Wales, including all in Blaenau Gwent, and most in Caerphilly and Bridgend.

Nerys Evans, the Welsh government's deputy minister for public and preventative health, called it a "heat emergency".

A red warning for extreme heat has been issued for Wednesday and Thursday, and temperatures could hit 37C.

School closures are confirmed in Cardiff, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Carmarthenshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen and Vale of the Glamorgan.

Speaking on Radio Wales Breakfast, Chief Medical Officer for Wales Isabel Oliver said in these periods of heatwave, there can be "significant pressure on the NHS".

"But the health effects of heat are largely predictable and preventable so it is really important that we are all aware of what we need to do to keep safe and in good health," she said.

On people going to concerts and events, Oliver said mass gatherings can be risky.

The Cure will play Blackweir Fields in Cardiff on Wednesday, and McFly are due to play in Cardiff Castle on Thursday.

"If people are feeling the effects of heat exhaustion which is tiredness, dizziness, headaches feeling sick it is really important that they move to a cool place, remove unnecessary clothing such as jackets or socks.

"If you see people suffering give them plenty of water to drink and cool down their skin with a cool cloth.

"It is also important to take care with alcohol and also sugary drinks can contribute to dehydration.

"The main thing is to be aware of what alcohol can cause on our bodies and make dehydration that we experience worse and some of the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke worse," she added.

Beverley Holt, deputy manager of Cartref Dyfi care home in Machynlleth, said staff have made changes to its menu and activities in preparation for the heatwave.

"It's a struggle, we're just trying to keep everyone cool, hydrated and keeping the curtains closed," she said.

Lois Burke, 90, said it was more like Caribbean weather, where she used to spend a lot of time. But she added: "I wouldn't want it to get any hotter and at my age I'm not particularly active, so it's just lying around a bit."

Sally, 86, said she finds the weather "absolutely exhausting", but despite the heat she says she still does exercises to prevent herself from stiffening up.

Sally said she tries to keep cool by "lying down on my bed with the window open and we're encouraged to drink as much as we can. It's extreme, climate change is starting to rule our lives I think."

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales Drive on Tuesday, Evans described the red warning as serious.

"This is a heat emergency that we've got over the next couple of days, and we will see extra demand on our health service," she said.

"That's why it's so important that people follow the basic rules of keeping themselves hydrated, out of the sun and more importantly looking after vulnerable people who can't regulate their own body temperatures like we do."

Public Health Wales has urged people across Wales to stay safe and check on family and friends.

It warned many homes and daily routines were not designed for sustained high temperatures, and therefore people could become unwell more easily, adding heat related illness could affect anyone, but older people, babies, young children, and people with underlying health conditions were at greatest risk.

It also warned people who worked outdoors, lived in top-floor flats, or were exposed to the heat for long periods could also be particularly vulnerable.

The red weather warning for extreme heat begins at 09:00 BST on Wednesday and lasts until 21:00 on Thursday. It covers Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen and Vale of Glamorgan, as well as parts of England.

A separate amber warning is in place for all of Wednesday and Thursday and covers the whole of Wales.

The hot weather has already caused disruption across parts of Wales, with a historic bridge closed and public services also affected.

Heat-related records have been tumbling for a while now in Wales, sounding an alarm about our changing climate.

This month's scorching weather comes hot on the heels of our warmest May day on record a few weeks ago.

Last summer was our hottest on record - and 10 of the warmest years yet documented in Wales have all happened since the early 2000s.

Climate scientists warn hotter summers are to become "the new normal" in decades to come with heatwaves that are more frequent and intense.

Modelling from the Met Office - released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the famous 1976 heatwave - suggests a similar event in 2056 could see temperatures reaching 41C in Wales.