BEACHES at Third Beach and Tuntas Beach remained crammed as tourist looked for alternatives to Main Beach.

Thousands of residents, expats and international and domestic tourists, have been enjoying longer sunny days, heat sapping nights, and water shortages.

Car parks and sides streets have been crammed with cars, underlining Didim’s annual problem that there seems to be a lack of spaces available given the population increase three times in the summer.

Equally, there have been reports locally of a constant stream of ambulances arriving at various beaches due to people being over-exposed to the sun or getting into difficulties while cooling off in the Aegean.

And it appears that a new heat wave is rolling in. Temperatures are expected to rise by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius across the country, with meteorologists predicting the thermometer to rise over 40 C in western Turkey.

The whole country is experiencing one of its hottest summers since records began. The General Directorate of State Meteorological Affairs reports that temperatures are already 8 to 10 degrees above seasonal norms.

The western and Aegean regions of Turkey are already being hit by the new heat wave. In İstanbul, the mercury is predicted to shoot to 40 degrees, but coupled with a 60-percent humidity rate it will feel much higher.

Over the last week, it was reported that up to 500 people could have died because of the high temperatures, according to their chief medical officer.

The holidays are expected to at least last until early September – just in time for the new school term!