Extra precautions at holiday events as heat set to soar past 30C

Large areas of the Netherlands are expected to see temperatures reach more than 30C on Monday as the Whitsun holiday heatwave continues.

Some parts of Limburg could reach 31C, while on Tuesday forecasters say the central weather station in De Bilt could top 30C, which would make it the first official “tropical day” of the year and the warmest May 26 on record.

Several public events are taking extra precautions on Monday to ensure visitors cope with the heat.

Maastricht cancelled its Long Course Marathon on Sunday because of the high temperatures and brought forward the start time for the half marathon to 8.30am. A 5K and 10K race went ahead as planned with extra water stations for the runners.

Organisers of the Christian festival Opwekking in Biddinghuizen, Flevoland, where 60,000 people were expected to attend, installed extra water taps and suncream stations. Overnight campers were urged not to take showers during the day so that the water could be saved for drinking.

In Friesland, the Red Cross set up a tent at a cycling event along the route of the Elfstedentocht skating marathon, a 225km road tour that is expected to take most of the day.

Another Elfstedentocht rally for kick scooters set off at midnight on Monday, with buses following the peloton with bottles of water on board as part of a heat protocol.

A German man in his early twenties drowned when he went swimming in a lake in Well, Limburg, on Sunday afternoon.

Police and fire rescue workers responded to an emergency call at around 3pm after the man got into difficulties while swimming with a friend in the Leukermeer. His body was recovered from the water nearly two hours later.

Another person died at a recreational lake in Oldenzaal, Overijssel, but emergency services later said the cause of death was not drowning.

Safety experts said recreational swimmers should hold off taking the plunge until the water has warmed up at the end of June. Despite the rapidly rising air temperature, the sea is still only around 13 degrees, while major rivers are no more than 16 degrees.

Ernst Brokmeier, of the lifeguard association KNRB, told nu.nl: “There’s nothing wrong with dipping your toes in to cool off, but I’d wait a while to go swimming.”

Forecasters say the high temperatures will continue until Tuesday, driven up by a high pressure weather system over Germany, little wind and high humidity. Areas near the coast will be cooled by an offshore breeze, while northern regions will cool down in the evening.