Air Temperature Reaches 51 Degrees Celsius, Iran Sets National Holidays On Wednesdays And Thursdays

JAKARTA - Iranian authorities announced Wednesday and Thursday this week as a national holiday, due to an "unprecedented heat", asking the elderly and people with health conditions to stay indoors, according to state media.

Government spokesman Ali Bahadori-Jahrito was quoted by state media as saying Wednesday and Thursday were holidays, while the Health Ministry said hospitals would be on standby.

"Given the unprecedented hot temperatures of these days, to protect the health of citizens, the government agrees with the Ministry of Health's proposal for holidays across the country," Jahormi said as quoted by Iran International.

The air temperature in the capital Tehran itself is expected to reach 39 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a number of cities in southern Iran have experienced tremendous heat for days. State media reported that air temperatures this week had exceeded 123 degrees Fahrenheit (51 degrees Celsius) in the southern Iranian city of Ahvaz.

Head of the National Center for Weather Risk Crisis Forecast and Management, Sadegh Ziyaian, said the temperature in the city of Ahvaz was the hottest point in the province.

It is known that heat waves have affected most of the world in recent weeks. Scientists attribute it to climate change caused by humans.