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Over 1,000 dead in Portugal, 40.3-degree fire in UK burns London

Many European countries have suffered from heat waves, with 1,063 people dying from heat in two weeks in Portugal, and 678 deaths in neighbouring Spain due to the heat. More than 1,700 people have died in the two countries alone. The hot weather and dryness also caused wildfires in many European countries. As the fires in Portugal and Spain were gradually brought under control, wildfires near the Greek capital Athens burned to residential houses, and hundreds of people had to be evacuated. The temperature in the UK on Tuesday broke through 40 degrees Celsius on record, and Coningsby in Lincolnshire recorded 40.3 degrees as the hottest area in the UK; the high temperature caused many fires, and fire departments across the country were flooded with calls for help, the capital London A “ring of fire” appeared inside and outside the city, and it was once announced that it had entered a state of “major event”.

The temperature in Portugal has dropped slightly in the past two days, but the weather forecast points to the temperature rising again this week. The health authority pointed out that from the 7th to the 18th of this month, 1,063 people have died due to heat waves, which is higher than the normal level. Portugal may become one of the regions most affected by extremely hot weather in the world. It is necessary to prepare for the hot weather, and the data shows that the elderly Most likely to die from heat waves. The heat wave, which first hit Portugal and Spain, moved northwards. In addition to Britain, France was also unusually hot. The weather monitoring station in the capital Paris also recorded a high temperature of 40.5 degrees on Tuesday, which has been in operation since 1873. A high of 40 degrees and Tuesday’s second-highest temperature on record, a high of 42.6 degrees in July 2019. In addition, northern and central Italy is expected to reach 40 degrees this week.

41 houses burn down in London, busiest day for firefighting since World War II

As for the United Kingdom, which recorded a record-breaking high temperature of 40.3 degrees, at least 34 places exceeded the record of 38.7 degrees Celsius recorded in Cambridge in 2019, and at least six areas including Heathrow reached 40 degrees or above. London Mayor Jane Sidde said yesterday that Tuesday was the busiest day for the London Fire Service since World War II. Forty-one homes were destroyed in London, with the fire in the suburb of Wennington being particularly intense, with grasses in residential gardens the first to catch fire.

The heat wave in Europe is fierce. The average daytime temperature in the UK in July is only 21 degrees, and the lowest at night is 12 degrees. Many houses, small shops, and even hospitals are not air-conditioned, which makes it difficult for local residents to withstand the heat. The London Ambulance Service received 400 calls for help in an hour on Tuesday, mainly for heat stroke, breathing difficulties and dizziness. Some fire chiefs described Tuesday as a “violent” day that also heralded the impact of climate change. Scientists have warned that such extreme heat could occur every three years without serious action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

The original text was published on AM730 https://www.am730.com.hk/international/over 1,000 people in Portugal died of heat – 40.3 degrees burns London in the UK/329723