Handling the heat wave in Berlin.

07 Aug, 2006

While six weeks of over 30 temperatures have caused many of Germanys rivers to become stagnant pools, with hundreds of dead fish found in canals and lakes in Berlin, the

local population in the German capital is adapting to the unusual weather. Municipal waste collectors now start work an hour earlier at 6.00 and local council swimming pools are saying open until sunset, 2 hours later than usual. Pavement cafs are packed until late at night, with some residents even bringing their chairs and tables into the streets in the evening to escape their overheated homes. Polar bears at the Berlin zoo have not been forgotten either, as the 'Eis Vogel' catering company, which sponsors them, has donated kilos of crushed ice to cool down the bears swimming pool.