The UK is bracing for what could be its hottest day on record on Monday as the heat wave that has swept across Europe for several days moves north into areas where air conditioning is rare and buildings built to keep out the heat.
Britain has declared a national emergency and issued its first “red” warning for exceptional heat, meaning temperatures could soar to 41 degrees Celsius on Monday and Tuesday, putting lives at risk. The current record is 38.7 degrees Celsius, set in 2019, according to Britain’s National Weather Service, the Met Office.
A helicopter drops water on a fire in the Mijas region of Malaga province, Spain. – Photo: Jorge Guerrero/AFP
More than 1,000 people have died as a result of high temperatures since the heat wave began across Europe, according to health authorities in Spain and Portugal.
Iberian countries and France continue to battle wildfires that have forced thousands of people from their homes.
The heat wave is expected to continue beyond this weekend. According to meteorologists, new temperature records are likely to be recorded in the next few days.
A tourist bus passes a 49 degree Celsius thermometer in Madrid, Spain. – Photo: Isabel Infantes/Reuters
In total, more than 14,000 people, including residents and tourists, were evacuated from their homes and camps in the south of France.
The Met Office has predicted that temperatures will exceed 40ºC in several cities in the interior of France in the coming days. In Paris, this should happen on Monday and Tuesday. In the latest weather alert, 38 of the country’s 96 sectors are listed under “orange” alert.
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