LITHUANIA | Ombudsman concerned about migrants still living in tents

The Seimas Ombudsman Augustinas Normantas is concerned about the information provided in the public sphere that some migrants from the camps under the control of the State Border Guard Service, where they live in tents, are planned to be evicted until the 15^th of October, when the current average air temperature is already a threat to their health and life.

The Seimas Ombudsman draws his attention to the conclusion submitted to him by the State Forensic Medicine Service, in which it is stated that “the body can cool down even at a positive ambient temperature, i.e. at above 10°C or even at about 20°C”. The Seimas Ombudsman notices that the cooling of the body is promoted by many other factors: air movement (wind) speed, air humidity, choice of clothing, humidity on the human body, immobility. Cooling of the body is also affected by individual characteristics of the body, i.e. illness or exhaustion.

Older people are less resistant to lower temperatures and children are particularly sensitive to cold. The state report issued by the State Forensic Service also notes that the duration of cooling can vary between 1.5 and 12 hours; at low temperatures (-20 to -30°C) the body can cool down in a short time, at a temperatures higher than 5°C it takes longer time. A person usually dies from cold when the internal body temperature drops below 25°C.

Source: The Seimas Ombudsmen's Office of the Republic of Lithuania