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Romania

Balkans brace for heatwave, 18 dead in Romania

BUCHAREST, July 23 (Reuters) - Romania declared "Code Red" on Monday as the death toll of a week-long heat wave climbed to 18 and Greece called a state of emergency, forecasting temperatures of 45 Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) in southeast Europe.

Romanian Health Minister Eugen Nicolaescu said three Romanians had died in the last 24 hours and urged people to cancel outdoor travel in the hottest part of the day.

"Code Red will be enforced for July 24 in five southern counties and in the capital Bucharest," he told journalists after an emergency meeting. The government also banned outdoor work, including construction, in the hottest hours.

Meteorologists forecast three days of rising temperatures in the region's second heat wave this year. In June, more than 35 people died in Romania, Turkey and Greece when the mercury shot up to 46 Celsius.

In Greece, health services said 13 people had been rushed to hospital on Monday with heat-related symptoms and the Health Ministry activated an emergency plan to deal with possible mass hospitalisations and power outages.

"We have been on full alert since Friday, increasing the number of staff on duty," said Dimitris Pirros, national first aid centre spokesman.

A heat wave in 1987 caused hundreds of deaths in the Greek capital and authorities have since been taking measures to protect the most vulnerable and elderly.

"A second heat wave in a month is certainly something rare," said the head of the National weather service, Dimitris Ziakopoulos. "Temperatures will start falling on Thursday."

(Additional reporting by Renee Maltezou in Athens)