Millions of Europeans have recently had to endure record high temperatures due to a scorching heat wave, which has also caused devastating wildfires in some parts of the continent. Meteorologists also warn that temperatures will reach new record highs in Southern Europe this week.
RNews earlier reported that health authorities warned Europeans against the extremely high temperatures and encouraged them to stay hydrated and out of the scorching sun during the time.
According to the European Space Agency, the highest temperatures can be expected on the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia, where scorching temperatures of 48 °C are predicted.
According to the United Nations Weather Service, the previous European record temperature of 48.8 ˚°C was recorded in Sicily in 2021.
“Our main objective is to protect human lives,” says Yannis Artopios, spokesman for the firefighters who had to fight wildfires in various places around Athens in Greece for the second day in a row.
Footage from public broadcaster ERT shows that several houses in the area have burned down.
About 1,200 children also had to be taken from their holiday camps to safety after a wildfire ignited due to strong winds at the popular beach town of Loutraki and scorched parts of the area.
Petteri Taalas, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), says the extreme temperatures have a major effect on people’s health, ecosystems, economies, agriculture, energy and water supplies.
“This underlines the increasing urgency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as quickly and as far as possible.”
