Water bottles, hygiene products and sunscreen are on display in a recreation room in an emergency shelter run by Hitzehilfe for homeless people.
© dpa
30 degrees and above - temperatures in Berlin are soaring this week. Heat relief services are designed to help the homeless survive the hot days.
People who have no fixed accommodation are at great risk of dehydration during a heatwave. Heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke are imminent.
There are several shelters and outreach programmes throughout Berlin. The heat protection measures are subsidised by the Berlin Senate to the tune of 300,000 euros. In the shelters, those affected receive drinks and food as well as low-threshold counselling on all aspects of heat protection. Depending on the location, showers, clothing and the opportunity to do laundry are also offered. Between June and August, the Sozialdienst katholischer Frauen also sets up a shower mobile for homeless women at various locations.
Summer hats, sunglasses, fans, sun cream, parasols and refillable bottles as well as drinks and food are distributed during the so-called heat outreach programme. The heat buses are on the road in most of Berlin's districts. Passers-by are asked to look out for people in need of help and to call a heat bus or an ambulance if necessary.
After a largely sunny weekend, the new week will be warm to hot in summer. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), temperatures will rise significantly again in the middle of the week. Temperatures of up to 35 degrees are expected in the middle of the week.