Heatwaves engulfing western and southern Europe show no sign of abating. Temperature records are expected to renew in some countries and the scorching sun has claimed hundreds of lives and fueled ferocious wildfires.
Britain had its hottest day on record on Tuesday with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in some places. The London Fire Brigade declared a major incident after a number of fires broke out in areas around the British capital. Earlier, Britain's national weather service, or the Met Office, has issued its first-ever red warning on extreme heat, reminding the public that the heat poses a risk of serious illness or even danger to life. The sweltering heat also put the country's transport and medical services to a severe test. According to Spain's health ministry, more than 500 people have died from heat-related causes in the first week of a heatwave when the mercury reached 45 degrees Celcius in some parts of the country.
A recent report by the European Commission's Joint Research Center showed that almost half of the European Union's (EU) territory and Britain are at risk of drought in July. The rare heatwave and drought also breed devastating wildfires in countries including France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece.
Produced by Xinhua Global Service
