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Verified numbers and advice for the heatwave - checked against official sources.
Key numbers
Heat exhaustion vs heatstroke
- · Tiredness or dizziness
- · Headache
- · Feeling or being sick
- · Excessive sweating with pale, clammy skin
- · Cramps in arms, legs or stomach
- · Very thirsty, high temperature
- · Very high temperature
- · Hot skin that is NOT sweating
- · Fast breathing, racing heartbeat
- · Confusion or restlessness
- · Seizure or loss of consciousness
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.
Beat the heat
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.
Food safety in a power cut
Keep the doors shut
Unopened, a fridge stays cold for about 4 hours and a full freezer for up to 48 (24 if half-full). Every peek lets the cold out.
Under 4 hours? You're fine
A power cut shorter than about 4 hours is unlikely to affect the safety of your food if the doors stayed closed.
The 4-hour rule for the risky stuff
Meat, fish, eggs, dairy, cooked leftovers and cut fruit or veg: throw them out once they've been above 4°C for more than 4 hours.
Ice crystals = still safe
Frozen food that still has ice crystals can be refrozen or cooked. Fully thawed high-risk food that sat warm has to go.
When in doubt, throw it out
Never taste food to check if it's safe. Odd colour, texture or smell - bin it.
Blackout checklist
Charge everything while you have power
Phones, power banks, rechargeable fans and battery lamps first. Keep a torch where you can find it in the dark.
Unplug sensitive appliances
Surges when power returns can damage TVs, routers, aircon units and computers. Leave one light switched on so you know when it's back.
Fill water bottles
Some buildings lose water pressure when pumps stop. Fill bottles and a few pans while the pressure is there.
Plan for the lift
If the power is flickering, take the stairs. Getting stuck in a lift during a blackout heatwave is dangerous - 112 if someone is trapped.
Know your neighbours
Agree with neighbours to check on each other - especially anyone elderly, alone, or on powered medical equipment.
Someone to talk to
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About Bla Dawl
Bla Dawl ("without power") is a free community tool built during the July 2026 heatwave, inspired by the brilliant community response around dawl.app. It is not affiliated with Enemalta plc or the Government of Malta. Outage reports come from the public and are unverified.
Privacy: no accounts, no location stored. A report saves only the locality, an anonymous hashed device identifier and a hashed IP (both used purely for spam prevention), and an optional street note you type yourself. Google Analytics sets a first-party cookie to count visits anonymously - all advertising and cross-site tracking is switched off, and nothing here identifies you.
Directory listings are compiled from public sources (Yellow Pages Malta, findit.com.mt, business websites) - verify details before engaging anyone. Safety advice is summarised from Malta's Health Promotion Directorate, the NHS, and official food safety guidance.
Spotted a bug, got a wrong number, or have a suggestion? Email the developer, Liam Colclough - corrections get fixed fast. This is a free community project, not a commercial service.