Uzbekistan Authorities Slow Tashkent Metro Trains and Close Some Kindergartens During Extreme Heat

Uzbekistan authorities slowed trains on elevated sections of the Tashkent metro to 40 km/h from the usual 60 km/h after rail temperatures passed 55°C as part of coordinated safety measures, Euronews reported. The limit stayed in place until 6 pm each day. In the southern Surkhandarya Region, officials barred heavy vehicles from some roads between 10 am and 7 pm local time.

Road surfaces there reached 70°C to 80°C, according to regional authorities. Preschool facilities closed in the hardest-hit areas. In Karakalpakstan, kindergartens in Nukus and eight districts shut after temperatures rose sharply, the Ministry of Preschool and School Education said.

All state-run kindergartens in the Khorezm Region closed from last Tuesday through Friday, while several districts in the Navoi Region imposed their own restrictions. Municipal services, transport operators, education authorities and emergency teams coordinated the steps to protect infrastructure and limit safety risks. Fire and rescue crews sprayed water in places where children gathered.

One resident, Akramova, described daily adjustments. "We try to cope by using air-conditioned taxis, and fortunately our hotel also has air conditioning," she said. "We drink a lot of water. We put watermelons and melons in the refrigerator and eat them when they are cold.

The extreme conditions were expected to ease gradually later this week.