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.
"We distribute summer hats, sunglasses, fans, sun cream, parasols and refillable bottles," said a spokeswoman for the Catholic Women's Social Service. Between June and August, the association also sets up a shower mobile at various locations and offers a cool shelter for women at the "Evas Haltestelle" day center, where food and drinks are also available. As in the previous year, the association expects demand to be high.
According to the social administration, there are 24 heat relief projects across Berlin between June and August. Most of them were already launched in June, with some starting in July. The Berlin City Mission, for example, is on the road from Wednesday to Sunday with a heat bus to provide homeless people with sun protection, among other things. Special offers in summer are important, as emergency overnight accommodation is closed at this time of year, said spokeswoman Barbara Breuer. As a result, homeless people have much less access to showers, water and advice. Some of those affected lie in the middle of the blazing sun and quickly get sunburnt.
The risk of dehydration is high, especially when alcohol is involved. "That's why we're handing out cool boxes for the first time this year." The small bags contained a cool pack, a drink, a jelly, a banana and a spray bottle. Passers-by should look out for people in need of help and call the heat bus or an ambulance if necessary, the spokeswoman asked.
The German Weather Service (DWD) has issued a heat warning for Berlin and Brandenburg for Wednesday and Thursday. Temperatures will rise to 29 to 32 degrees on Wednesday and up to 31 degrees on Thursday. The DWD expects the days to be very hot and humid. "The heat will be extremely stressful for the elderly and people in need of care", as the DWD informs on its website. Due to the slight cooling on Wednesday night, the densely built-up urban area will be particularly affected by the heat. The first showers and thunderstorms with heavy rain and hail are possible on Thursday afternoon and in the evening.