BRUSSELS – A heatwave continues to sweep across parts of Europe, with potential record-breaking temperatures in the next few days.
Temperatures are expected to surpass 40C (104F) in parts of Spain, France, Greece, Croatia and Turkey.
They could reach 48C in parts of Italy, becoming “potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe”, says the European Space Agency.
A red alert warning is in place for 10 cities, including Florence and Rome.
Last month was the hottest June on record, according to the EU’s climate monitoring service Copernicus.
Extreme weather resulting from warming climate is “unfortunately becoming the new normal”, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has warned.
Periods of intense heat occur within natural weather patterns, but scientists say that globally they are becoming more frequent, more intense and are lasting longer due to global warming.
Tourists in Europe have been impacted by the heatwave. In Athens, the Greek Red Cross has deployed teams to the Acropolis to look after visitors – saying many get nauseous and dizzy due to the heat.
“That is why with the leaflets we try to inform them where in the municipality of Athens there are places with air condition in order to go inside,” said Marina Stamati, a representative for the organisation.
Earlier this week, a man in his forties died from the heat after collapsing in northern Italy – while several visitors to the country have collapsed from heatstroke, including a British man outside the Colosseum in Rome.
People have been advised to drink at least two litres of water a day and to avoid coffee and alcohol, which are dehydrating. (BBC)
