Record-breaking heat continued to affect parts of western Europe last week, with temperatures in the UK exceeding 40C (104F) for the first time since records began.
On Tuesday, several weather stations in London, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire broke the 40C barrier, with a maximum temperature of 40.3C in Coningsby, Lincolnshire. A further 39 stations in central and southern England also exceeded the previous highest temperature of 38.7C, which was set in July 2019.
The Central England Temperature (CET), which is a dataset of daily temperature records dating back to 1772, recorded the highest average daily temperature of 28.1C, an incredible 2.8C above the previous record.
Temperature records fell in many other countries in Europe, with 64 different areas in France experiencing record highs and temperatures in Portugal reaching 47C on Thursday, a record since July.
The dangerously high temperatures have had an extreme impact, with Portugal reporting more than 1,000 heatwave-related deaths since last week. At least 13 people have died in open water incidents in the UK since Monday.
Forest fires are raging in parts of Europe and North Africa, with 37,000 people evacuated from their homes in France in the worst blazes in 30 years. More than 20,000 hectares (49,500 acres) of land were consumed in the Gironde region alone. Strong winds in northern Morocco have fueled forest fires, and firefighters are still battling the flames.
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There were numerous fires in England and Wales, with the London Fire Brigade declaring a major incident. Calls to the service quadrupled earlier this week, with Tuesday the busiest day in the capital since the Second World War.
Meanwhile, southern and eastern parts of China are struggling to cope with torrential rains and extremely hot conditions. In Guangyun County, Jiangsu Province, a tornado hit 11 villages on Wednesday, killing one and injuring 25 others. Along with the torrential rains are scorching temperatures, with more than 900 million people feeling the effects of heat over 40C. This has coincided with a surge in Covid cases and after the government made mass testing mandatory, it has led to unsafe conditions for those waiting to get and receive tests. At least 24 people were taken to hospital with heatstroke.
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