Cooling without electricity
- Drink water before you're thirsty. Keep sipping water through the day - don't wait for thirst. Skip alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks; they make dehydration worse.
- Stay out of the sun 11:00-16:00. Avoid direct sun and heavy activity in the hottest hours. If you must go out, keep to the shade.
- Dress for it. Lightweight, light-coloured, loose clothes in cotton. Wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses outside; sunscreen about 30 minutes before going out.
- Keep the house cool without power. Close shutters, blinds and curtains on the sunny side during the day. Open windows at night when the air cools. Light bed linen, no heavy cushions.
- Cool your body directly. Cool showers, damp towels on the neck, a foot bath, or cold packs wrapped in cloth under the armpits - they work even with no aircon.
- Eat light and watery. Small, light meals more often - salads, watermelon, cucumber. Skip heavy, protein-rich meals in peak heat.
- Check on the vulnerable. Elderly relatives and neighbours who live alone, babies, young children, and anyone with chronic conditions. In a blackout with no fans, a knock on the door can save a life.
- Never leave anyone in a parked car. Not children, not older people, not pets - not even for a few minutes. Car interiors reach deadly temperatures fast.
- Mind your medicines. Most medicines need to stay below 25°C and out of the sun. Insulin and other fridge medicines: keep the fridge shut, or use a cool bag during a long cut.
If home becomes unbearable, go somewhere cooled. The cool spots directory lists air-conditioned malls, public libraries, pools and shaded beaches across Malta and Gozo, with opening hours where published. Most are free.
Heat exhaustion vs heatstroke
Heat exhaustion looks like: tiredness or dizziness; headache; feeling or being sick; excessive sweating with pale, clammy skin; cramps in arms, legs or stomach; very thirsty, high temperature.
Heatstroke looks like: very high temperature; hot skin that is not sweating; fast breathing, racing heartbeat; confusion or restlessness; seizure or loss of consciousness.
The action line: Heat exhaustion: move them somewhere cool, remove excess clothing, give plenty of water, cool the skin with a sponge or cold packs. They should improve within 30 minutes. Heatstroke is a medical emergency - call 112 immediately and keep cooling them while you wait. In Malta, that call is 112.
Who to check on
The people most at risk in a blackout heatwave are older people living alone, babies and young children, anyone with heart or breathing conditions, and anyone on powered medical equipment. A knock on a neighbour's door costs one minute. During the July 2026 cuts, the map showed restores spreading street by street; the people who couldn't check a map are exactly the ones worth checking on.
Support lines, including the free 24/7 1400 medical helpline and Supportline 179, are collected on the help page with tap-to-call buttons.