Temperatures have soared to 46C in Spain as an “extreme heatwave” continues to grip much of Europe, triggering a series of weather alerts across the continent.
The continent is enduring its first major heatwave of the summer, with two deaths linked to extreme heat in Italy and hundreds of schools closed in France.
The record-high temperature of 46C was reported in the town of El Granado in southern Spain on Saturday, according to Spain’s national weather service, with the mercury also set to reach 40C in Paris.
Dozens of heat warnings are in place across France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and well as the Balkans, according to weather aggregator MeteoAlarm.
“Extreme heat is no longer a rare event – it has become the new normal,” UN secretary general Antonio Guterres warned. “The planet is getting hotter & more dangerous – no country is immune.”
Here, The Independent has put together a full list of European countries currently in the grip of a heatwave and the current advice being given to locals and tourists.
There were 118 heat alerts in place across Spain as of midday local time on Tuesday, according to MeteoAlarm.
These cover virtually the entire country, with the exception of areas of the south east coast such as Almeria and swathes of the north east such as Oviedo.
The mercury will rise above 40C for the next three days in Seville, where night-time temperatures will remain at around 25C until Thursday morning.
Doctors have expressed alarm at the combination of hot days and uncomfortably warm nights, which can place lethal stress on the human body.
Local authorities have urged anyone in an area affected by a severe high temperature warning to take precautions and check the weather forecast. The warnings also state that damage to properties may occur, while vulnerable people are at particular risk.
Meanwhile, there are also warnings for storms and heavy rainfall in eastern regions of the country including inland areas of Valencia and Catalonia, where as much as 20mm of rain could fall.
There are heat alerts covering eight of Italy’s regions: Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Lazio, Puglia, Sardinia, Tuscany and Umbria, according to MeteoAlarm.
Temperatures of up to 42C have been forecast in parts of Italy, according to the monitoring website. Two people have already died in the country due to weather.
