Slovakia is in the grip of an intense heatwave that has pushed temperatures to historic highs and deepened an ongoing drought, straining water supplies and disrupting public life across the country. On Tuesday, the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMÚ) recorded a new absolute temperature record in Kamenice nad Hronom in the Nové Zámky district, where temperatures reached 41.3°C. The value, measured at an automatic station, is still being verified.
“The data is still operational, we will verify it in the coming days,” said SHMÚ spokesman Ivan Garčár. He noted that the reading surpasses Monday’s record of 41°C in Turnianske Podhradie, which itself had just broken the previous national June record of 40.3°C recorded in Hurbanovo in 2007, underscoring how rapidly extreme heat records are being rewritten.
The heatwave has also forced disruptions in public events and services. The Bratislava Cultural and Information Centre canceled its planned “Day of Humour” outdoor event due to forecasts of extreme weather conditions. Meteorologists warned that after days of temperatures above 35°C, a cold front is expected to bring storms with heavy rain, hail, and wind gusts reaching up to 85 km/h, creating “very unfavorable conditions” for large public gatherings.
At the same time, water infrastructure is coming under severe pressure. In central Slovakia, the Turček Reservoir in the Kremnica Mountains has been forced to limit drinking water distribution due to insufficient supply. The reservoir provides water to the Žiar nad Hronom and Prievidza districts, affecting nearly 200,000 residents, with water authorities reporting a 30–40% drop in source yield compared to long-term averages.
“We are seeing a 30 to 40 percent drop in the yield of water sources compared with the long-term average. Without these restrictions, we risk depleting water supplies,” the Central Slovak Water Operations Company warned. Similar restrictions have been introduced by the West Slovak Water Company (ZSVS), which has limited water supply in nearly three dozen municipalities across the Nitra and Trnava regions.
Authorities across Slovakia are urging strict water conservation, warning that reservoirs could fall below critical levels if consumption does not decrease. Residents are being asked to limit use to essential needs, with bans on filling pools, watering gardens, or washing cars. Officials say the combination of long-term drought, extreme heat, and rising consumption is creating “significant pressure on the water infrastructure and the supply of drinking water to residents,” with tanker deliveries now supplementing supply in the hardest-hit areas.
Source: STVR, TASR
