Heatwave on its way, temperatures to soar to 37 degrees

The scorching summer is about to get even hotter, with a heatwave set to hit the Maltese Islands this week.

Temperatures soared to highs of 36 degrees Celsius this afternoon and are expected to continue rising, reaching a maximum of 37 degrees on Thursday. They will then dip down to 31 degrees on Saturday and 30 degrees on Sunday.

The Health Department issued a statement, warning people to avoid any unnecessary exposure to the sun between 10am and 4pm, and urging them to drink regularly and eat more cold food.

It added that elderly people, babies and young children, people with chronic conditions and physically active people run a greater risk of serious harm caused by heat exhaustion and sunstroke.