Scorching Temps Don't Deter Vacationing Turks
Voice of America
ISTANBUL - Vacationers in Turkey are enduring sizzling heat as millions from Istanbul and elsewhere journey to the southern coast for Kurban Bayram, or feast of the sacrifice, a weeklong Islamic holiday.
Sweltering summers are nothing new for the country, but this year’s exceptionally high temperatures might be. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), a warming global climate has brought Turkey intensely hotter summers and declining precipitation, causing droughts. This week, Turkey’s state meteorological service forecasts a high of 38 degrees Celsius in Marmaris, a popular tourist destination on the southern coast. That’s 8 degrees hotter than the average maximum temperature recorded from 1981 to 2010. The heat does not appear to be sapping Turks’ desire to travel. In fact, many are bound for destinations that are even hotter than the cities in which they reside.India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (C) greets supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during his election campaign rally in Prayagraj, northern India, on May 21, 2024. People queue up to vote outside a polling booth during the fifth round of multi-phase national election in Howrah, India, May 20, 2024. Supporters of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wear party headwear and cut out masks India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election campaign rally attended by Modi in Prayagraj on May 21, 2024.
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