Record Heatwave Hits Portugal and Spain with New Temperature Highs

The heat wave in southern Europe continues with unchanged strength at the beginning of the week. Over the weekend, several heat records were set. Two people are suspected to have died as a result of the heat. In Turkey, 50,000 people have been evacuated from forest fires.

» Published:

Record Heatwave Hits Portugal and Spain with New Temperature Highs
Photo: Emilio Morenatti/AP/TT

Share this article

In the city of Mora in Portugal's inland, 46.6 degrees were measured on Sunday - the warmest temperature ever measured in June in the country, writes the newspaper Diário de Notícias.

Also in Spain, a new record was set when the village of El Granado in Andalusia measured 46 degrees on Saturday. As the temperatures are higher than usual for the season, authorities have issued both warnings and safety recommendations for residents and tourists.

It feels like Madrid is getting warmer and warmer every year, says 32-year-old Diego Radames to AFP.

"New normal"

Two people are reported to have died due to the heat in Spain. A woman in Barcelona is said to have collapsed and then died on Saturday evening, and in Mallorca, a tourist is reported to have died of heatstroke.

The heat is expected to persist for several days and new peak levels are predicted on Wednesday, before rain moves in over certain areas.

"Extreme heat is no longer something unexpected - it's the new normal", writes UN Secretary-General António Guterres on X on Monday from Seville in Spain.

Schools are closed

In France, 200 schools are completely or partially closed on Monday, while heat wave warnings remain. In the majority of the French mainland's regions, heat warnings have been issued. The country's Minister of Education, Élisabeth Borne, urges school leaders to avoid using the most heat-exposed classrooms and to "avoid physical activity", reports French media.

And in neighboring Italy, several regions are considering stopping outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day.

As a consequence of the high temperatures, authorities in several countries have issued warnings of a risk of forest fires, including in Greece.

In Turkey, more than 50,000 people have been evacuated from their homes - most in the western province of Izmir - due to fires raging in forests and land, according to the Turkish disaster authority Afad.

Tags

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

More news

Judge in Bolsonaro Trial Cites Political Motivation

Judge in Bolsonaro Trial Cites Political Motivation

WHO Staff to Remain in Gaza City Despite Evacuation Orders

WHO Staff to Remain in Gaza City Despite Evacuation Orders

Tanker Truck Explosion in Mexico City Injures Nearly 60

Tanker Truck Explosion in Mexico City Injures Nearly 60

Suspect Released After Charlie Kirk's Fatal Shooting in Utah

Suspect Released After Charlie Kirk's Fatal Shooting in Utah

Sebastien Lecornu Sworn In as Protests Erupt Across France

Sebastien Lecornu Sworn In as Protests Erupt Across France

Netanyahu Urges Qatar to Expel or Prosecute Terrorists

Netanyahu Urges Qatar to Expel or Prosecute Terrorists

Charlie Kirk Shot Dead at Utah University Event

Charlie Kirk Shot Dead at Utah University Event

Cuba Faces Fifth Nationwide Power Outage This Year

Cuba Faces Fifth Nationwide Power Outage This Year

Deadly Floods Devastate Bali and Flores, 15 Dead and 6 Missing

Deadly Floods Devastate Bali and Flores, 15 Dead and 6 Missing

Qatar's Neutrality Questioned After Israeli Airstrike in Doha

Qatar's Neutrality Questioned After Israeli Airstrike in Doha

New Concerns Arise for Ursula von der Leyen in European Parliament

New Concerns Arise for Ursula von der Leyen in European Parliament

Israeli Airstrikes in Yemen Kill Over 30, Houthi Movement Reports

Israeli Airstrikes in Yemen Kill Over 30, Houthi Movement Reports

Nepal Military Enforces Control Amid Protests and Government Resignation

Nepal Military Enforces Control Amid Protests and Government Resignation

IS Member Sentenced to Life for Fatal Knife Attack at German Festival

IS Member Sentenced to Life for Fatal Knife Attack at German Festival

France Faces Protests as New Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu Takes Office

France Faces Protests as New Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu Takes Office

EU Proposes Pausing Trade Agreement with Israel Amid Gaza Concerns

EU Proposes Pausing Trade Agreement with Israel Amid Gaza Concerns

Trump Criticizes Israel Over Qatar Incident: "Not Satisfied"

Trump Criticizes Israel Over Qatar Incident: "Not Satisfied"

Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones: Expert Says It Was Inevitable

Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones: Expert Says It Was Inevitable

Trump Questions Russian Drone Incursion in Poland

Trump Questions Russian Drone Incursion in Poland

EU Leader Ursula von der Leyen Faces Pressure in Parliament This Autumn

EU Leader Ursula von der Leyen Faces Pressure in Parliament This Autumn