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ROME: Temperatures reached new highs on Monday as heatwaves ravaged parts of the northern hemisphere, prompting health warnings and sparking wildfires in the latest stark reminder of the effects of global warming.
From North America to Europe and Asia, people have been drinking water and seeking shelter from the sweltering heat, with the mercury expected to reach new highs in several places in the next few days.
Europe, the world’s fastest-warming continent, was bracing for the hottest temperature ever this week in the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia, where temperatures are expected to rise to 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the European Space Agency.
sipping a cappuccino on an outdoor terrace in central Rome with his wife Anna at the start of a two-week Italian vacation, said Coleman Pevey, 30.
With June already the hottest month in the world, according to the European Union’s weather monitoring service, in July Mother Nature seemed intent on not being far behind.
China recorded a new high in mid-July in the northwest of the country, with the temperature reaching 52.2 degrees Celsius in Sanbao village, Xinjiang region, breaking the previous high of 50.6 degrees Celsius six years ago.
In the nearby city of Turpan, where surface temperatures soared to 80 degrees Celsius in some parts, the authorities told workers and students to stay indoors and ordered special vehicles to spray water on main roads, the meteorological service said.
In Cyprus, where temperatures are expected to remain above 40C through Thursday, a 90-year-old man died as a result of heatstroke and three other elderly people were hospitalized, according to health officials.
In Japan, a heatstroke alert has been issued in 32 of the country’s 47 prefectures, mostly in the central and southwestern regions.
At least 60 people in Japan have been treated for heatstroke, local media reported, including 51 hospitalized in Tokyo.
The heat was enough for at least one man to escape Hamamatsu’s social indignities.
“It’s frankly unbearable without an umbrella, although I have to admit it’s a bit embarrassing,” he told national broadcaster NHK about the umbrella in his hand.
The highest temperature in Japan of 41.1°C was first recorded in Kumagaya City in 2018.
In the western and southern states of the United States, accustomed to soaring temperatures, more than 80 million people were under warnings as a “widespread and unjust” heat wave swept across the region.
Death Valley in California, often among the hottest places on earth, reached nearly 52 degrees Celsius on Sunday afternoon.
In Arizona, the state capital Phoenix recorded its 17th consecutive day above 109°F (43°C), with temperatures reaching 113°F (45°C) on Sunday afternoon.
“We’re used to 110 and 112 (degrees Fahrenheit) … but not the lines,” Nancy Leonard, 64, a retiree from the nearby suburb of Peoria, told AFP. “You just have to adapt.”
Southern California was battling several wildfires, including one in Riverside County that burned more than 7,500 acres (3,000 ha) and prompted evacuation orders.
In Europe, Italians have been warned to prepare for “the most intense heatwave of the summer and also one of the hottest heatwaves ever”, with the Ministry of Health declaring a red alert for 16 cities including Rome, Bologna and Florence.
Temperatures were set to reach 42°C-43°C in Rome on Tuesday, breaking the record high of 40.5°C set in August 2007.
However, visitors have flocked to tourist hotspots like the Colosseum and the Vatican.
“I’m from South Africa. We’re used to this heat,” said Jacob Frionesen, 60, a civil engineer from Cape Town. “You have to drink a lot of water, obviously put on your hat and that’s it.”
Greece saw a respite on Monday, as temperatures cooled slightly and the Acropolis in Athens resumed its usual opening hours after closing for a few hours over the previous three days. But a new heatwave is expected on Thursday and meteorologists warned of an increased risk of forest fires amid strong winds from the Aegean Sea.
In Romania, temperatures are expected to reach 39°C on Monday in most parts of the country.
A little delay is expected in Spain, where meteorologists warned of “abnormally” high temperatures on Monday, including as high as 44C in the southern region of Andalusia in what would be a new regional record.
Besides the heat, parts of Asia were also hit by heavy rains.
South Korea’s president on Monday pledged an “overhaul” of the country’s approach to severe weather, after at least 40 people were killed in recent floods and landslides during the monsoon rains, which are expected to continue through Wednesday.
In northern India, continuous monsoon rains have killed at least 90 people, after the sweltering heat.
Floods and major landslides are common during the monsoon in India, but experts say climate change is increasing their frequency and severity.
It can be difficult to attribute a specific weather event to climate change, but many scientists insist that global warming is the cause of the intensification of heatwaves.
From North America to Europe and Asia, people have been drinking water and seeking shelter from the sweltering heat, with the mercury expected to reach new highs in several places in the next few days.
Europe, the world’s fastest-warming continent, was bracing for the hottest temperature ever this week in the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia, where temperatures are expected to rise to 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the European Space Agency.
sipping a cappuccino on an outdoor terrace in central Rome with his wife Anna at the start of a two-week Italian vacation, said Coleman Pevey, 30.
With June already the hottest month in the world, according to the European Union’s weather monitoring service, in July Mother Nature seemed intent on not being far behind.
China recorded a new high in mid-July in the northwest of the country, with the temperature reaching 52.2 degrees Celsius in Sanbao village, Xinjiang region, breaking the previous high of 50.6 degrees Celsius six years ago.
In the nearby city of Turpan, where surface temperatures soared to 80 degrees Celsius in some parts, the authorities told workers and students to stay indoors and ordered special vehicles to spray water on main roads, the meteorological service said.
In Cyprus, where temperatures are expected to remain above 40C through Thursday, a 90-year-old man died as a result of heatstroke and three other elderly people were hospitalized, according to health officials.
In Japan, a heatstroke alert has been issued in 32 of the country’s 47 prefectures, mostly in the central and southwestern regions.
At least 60 people in Japan have been treated for heatstroke, local media reported, including 51 hospitalized in Tokyo.
The heat was enough for at least one man to escape Hamamatsu’s social indignities.
“It’s frankly unbearable without an umbrella, although I have to admit it’s a bit embarrassing,” he told national broadcaster NHK about the umbrella in his hand.
The highest temperature in Japan of 41.1°C was first recorded in Kumagaya City in 2018.
In the western and southern states of the United States, accustomed to soaring temperatures, more than 80 million people were under warnings as a “widespread and unjust” heat wave swept across the region.
Death Valley in California, often among the hottest places on earth, reached nearly 52 degrees Celsius on Sunday afternoon.
In Arizona, the state capital Phoenix recorded its 17th consecutive day above 109°F (43°C), with temperatures reaching 113°F (45°C) on Sunday afternoon.
“We’re used to 110 and 112 (degrees Fahrenheit) … but not the lines,” Nancy Leonard, 64, a retiree from the nearby suburb of Peoria, told AFP. “You just have to adapt.”
Southern California was battling several wildfires, including one in Riverside County that burned more than 7,500 acres (3,000 ha) and prompted evacuation orders.
In Europe, Italians have been warned to prepare for “the most intense heatwave of the summer and also one of the hottest heatwaves ever”, with the Ministry of Health declaring a red alert for 16 cities including Rome, Bologna and Florence.
Temperatures were set to reach 42°C-43°C in Rome on Tuesday, breaking the record high of 40.5°C set in August 2007.
However, visitors have flocked to tourist hotspots like the Colosseum and the Vatican.
“I’m from South Africa. We’re used to this heat,” said Jacob Frionesen, 60, a civil engineer from Cape Town. “You have to drink a lot of water, obviously put on your hat and that’s it.”
Greece saw a respite on Monday, as temperatures cooled slightly and the Acropolis in Athens resumed its usual opening hours after closing for a few hours over the previous three days. But a new heatwave is expected on Thursday and meteorologists warned of an increased risk of forest fires amid strong winds from the Aegean Sea.
In Romania, temperatures are expected to reach 39°C on Monday in most parts of the country.
A little delay is expected in Spain, where meteorologists warned of “abnormally” high temperatures on Monday, including as high as 44C in the southern region of Andalusia in what would be a new regional record.
Besides the heat, parts of Asia were also hit by heavy rains.
South Korea’s president on Monday pledged an “overhaul” of the country’s approach to severe weather, after at least 40 people were killed in recent floods and landslides during the monsoon rains, which are expected to continue through Wednesday.
In northern India, continuous monsoon rains have killed at least 90 people, after the sweltering heat.
Floods and major landslides are common during the monsoon in India, but experts say climate change is increasing their frequency and severity.
It can be difficult to attribute a specific weather event to climate change, but many scientists insist that global warming is the cause of the intensification of heatwaves.
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