Europe temperature records fall; Water bombers fight Greece wildfires
A Canadair CL-415 sprays water during a wildfire in the village of Pournari, near Athens, on July 18, 2023.
The European Union sent four Canadair water bombers to help Greece fight wildfires that have been raging for a third day on Wednesday, while authorities warned of another extraordinary heatwave.
It comes as scorching heat continues to grip southern Europe, with temperatures in Spain, France and Italy climbing to fresh record highs.
Italy's capital of Rome recorded its hottest day ever on Tuesday, as temperatures in the city center rose to a staggering 41.8 degrees Celsius (107.24 Fahrenheit) — surpassing the previous record of 40.7 degrees Celsius registered in June last year.
Mercury levels in Girona in Spain's Catalonia region hit a record 45 degrees Celsius, while temperatures in Verdun in northeast France reached 40.6 degrees Celsius for the first time.
Europe's hottest-ever recorded temperature is believed to have been 48.8 degrees Celsius, logged near the ancient city of Syracuse on the coast of Sicily in August 2021.
The World Meteorological Organization believes this record could soon be broken, as the heatwave is expected to intensify.
Source: CNBC
