Europe faces record heat wave; Britain announces national emergency

18 July 2022

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London, July 18: Britain is bracing for its highest temperatures on record as a heat wave soars across Europe. Authorities are warning Britons to look out for others and to stay indoors.

British authorities announced a rare extreme heat emergency for large parts of England on Monday, with temperatures expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first time in British history.

The record-high temperatures were expected to disrupt travel, health care and schools as well as posing a serious threat to life.

Authorities placed more ambulances and medical workers on call amid health fears.

The Level 4 alert, issued by the Health Security Agency (UKSHA) for Monday and Tuesday, is defined as a “national heat emergency” and was triggered for the first time on record.

Severe delays due to warped tracks and failing power supplies were expected, and some services, including a key route between northeastern England and London, were suspended for parts of Tuesday.

London’s metro network was running a reduced service on Monday and Tuesday, urging commuters to only travel if absolutely necessary.

While some schools were due to stay closed, others were preparing to cool off the children by setting up wading pools and water spray.

Where else is the heat wave spreading?

The heat wave has been building over much of Europe’s southwest, with wildfires raging in Portugal, Spain and France.

It was spreading north and was expected to reach Germany and the Netherlands by Tuesday.

The German meteorological service announced temperatures would climb as high as 40 C and would hit southwestern Germany the hardest.

In France, more than 16,000 people, including both residents and tourists, were evacuated due to wildfires ravaging its tinder-dry forests in the southwestern region.

French authorities responded by setting up seven emergency shelters for evacuees.

They announced plans for more towns and 3,500 additional people at risk of falling victim to the fire to be evacuated.

According to local news reports, the country scrambled to send three extra water-bombing planes and a reinforcement of 200 firefighters to combat the spread of the wildfires on Monday, increasing the force of 1,500 firefighters in the southwest.

Spain managed to contain a wildfire that burned 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) of woodlands in Andalusia, according to regional authorities. All 3,000 residents evacuated from the southern coastal city of Malaga were allowed to return to their homes, regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno said.

Wildfires in Portugal have killed two people and injured about 60 more. Between 12,000 and 15,000 hectares of land were burned in the hottest July on record after the country was hit with 47 C temperatures. Despite a slight drop in the heat level, most parts of the country remained on high alert for further wildfires.