Zagreb, Sep 7 : The extreme heat during the summer has taken its toll on Croatia as the extremely hot weather has increased heat-related deaths, wildfires, severe drought as well as a marked rise of sea temperature.

The average maximum air temperatures at all of Croatia's meteorological stations in the first eight months of 2024 were higher than the average for the reference period from 1991 to 2020, Xinhua news agency reported, citing data released recently by the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ).

This August was the hottest month ever recorded at 23 meteorological stations across Croatia, and it was the hottest since 1961 at 16 stations.

This July was also record-breakingly hot at almost all DHMZ stations, and the maximum temperature of Dubrovnik in Croatia reached 39.4 degrees Celsius in July, making it the city with the highest temperature in Croatia so far this year, according to the DHMZ.

Branko Sopic, a Croatian meteorologist, told Xinhua that statistics indicate that due to the extreme heat, there were 500 more deaths this summer than in previous years as the extreme heat was the main cause of the deterioration of the health condition, especially of the elderly.

In addition, this year's heat waves have resulted in a significant increase in wildfires across Croatia and caused great economic losses.

According to a statement of the Croatian Firefighting Association (HVZ) in August, from the beginning of the year until August 19, a total of 4,300 wildfires have been recorded in Croatia, an increase of 26 per cent compared with last year.

A total of 11 people died in the fires so far this year, while 98 people were injured, including 20 firefighters.

This year's heat waves have also resulted in an unprecedented drought and have caused heavy losses to farmers in Slavonia in eastern Croatia, Sopic told Xinhua. There has been no rain for almost two months and the Orljava River in the Slavonia region has completely dried up.

According to some estimates, crop yields in the region are expected to be 30-40 per cent lower than usual, Sopic said.

"The government has said that it will try to compensate farmers for their losses, but the compensation will certainly be less than the actual damage," Sopic added.

Moreover, the lingering heat waves have also resulted in the extremely high sea temperature, as the highest sea temperature in Croatia since measurements began by the DHMZ was recorded in July when the sea temperature in Dubrovnik reached 29.7 degrees Celsius.

Experts have voiced concerns over the extremely high sea temperature and warned that such a rise in sea temperature will have long-term effects on all marine life.

"This is quite alarming because it affects plant and animal life, and all of us," Croatian oceanographer Ivica Vilibic said.

/IANS