SWELTERING! Britain records 40 C FIRST time in history, heatwave sweeps Europe

Recording 40.3C, Britain broke its earlier record of highest temperature of 38.7C registered in 2019. From Spain, Portugal to France, Europe has been reeling under the impact of extreme heat

London: It's over 40 degrees! Not just in Delhi, but even in London, United Kingdom, as a heatwave swept the island nation, just like many European countries. The Met Office said a new provisional record temperature of 40.3C was recorded in Coningsby, in central England, with 34 sites across the country experiencing temperatures in excess of the previous high of 38.7C recorded in 2019. Europe has been experiencing a massive heatwave, with experts issuing warnings on climate change and its dangerous impact. 

Britain's highest ever temperature

Stephen Belcher at the Met Office said he had not expected to see such temperatures in Britain in his career. "Research conducted here at the Met Office has demonstrated that it's virtually impossible for the UK to experience 40C in an undisrupted climate but climate change driven by greenhouse gases has made these extreme temperatures possible," he said.

London Fire Brigade declared a major incident and urged people to stop having barbecues, as hundreds of firefighters battled blazes across the capital.

Portugal reports more than 1,000 heat-related deaths

Temperatures across drought-stricken Portugal surpassed 40 degrees Celsius last week. The country has reported more than 1,000 deaths due to the current heat wave, with the health chief warning on Tuesday that the country must gear up to cope with the effects of climate change as temperatures continue to rise. "Portugal ... is among one of the areas of the globe that could be (more) affected by extreme heat," Graça Freitas, head of health authority DGS, told Reuters. "We have to be more and more prepared for periods of high temperatures."

Wildfire in Spain, France

Wildfires raged in southwestern France and Spain last week, forcing thousands of people to be evacuated from their homes as blistering summer temperatures put authorities on alert in parts of Europe. Heatwaves have engulfed France and Spain with temperatures soaring above 40 C.

(With Reuters inputs)