A heat wave is raging in Europe. Sometimes entire villages have to be evacuated. Because of climate change, this is a new reality.
Offenbach – The heat wave rolls over Germany. This Wednesday (July 20th) people have to reckon with extreme heat again. Yesterday, on the hottest day of the year so far, the highest temperature in Germany was measured in the Baerl district of Duisburg at 39.5 degrees Celsius.
According to the German Weather Service (DWD), many places, especially in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony, reach temperatures of over 38 degrees. In Tönisvorst in North Rhine-Westphalia, the thermometer rose to 39.2 degrees, in Barsinghausen-Hohenbostel in Lower Saxony to 39.1 degrees and in Heinsberg-Schleiden in North Rhine-Westphalia to 38.8 degrees. But Europe is also affected.
Heat wave: Over 40 degrees in Great Britain – fire destroys houses and fields
Temperatures exceeded 40 degrees in the UK on Tuesday. Temperatures reached 40.3 degrees in Coningsby in eastern England, according to the national weather agency. The heat led to problems in rail traffic. All trains have been canceled at Kings Cross station in London.
A fire destroyed several houses and fields in a town east of London. Around a hundred firefighters and 15 fire engines were deployed to fight the fire in Wennington, according to the London Fire Brigade.
In France, people on the Atlantic coast could breathe a sigh of relief – the temperatures dropped a little.
Forest fires are raging near Bordeaux
However, there was no all-clear for two major fires in the western French department of Gironde, which have been raging near Bordeaux for days. The forest fires had so far destroyed 9,000 hectares of forest. People had to be brought to safety.
Thousands of firefighters also continued to fight several forest fires in Spain and Portugal. In Portugal, an elderly couple died trying to flee the flames. Meanwhile, the Greek authorities reported 39 new sources of fire within 24 hours. Because of a powerful fire, almost ten villages north of Athens were evacuated.
Extreme heat waves are the new normal due to climate change
Extreme heat waves are normal because of climate change. Heat waves are becoming more common, and this “negative trend” is likely to continue “at least into the 2060s,” World Meteorological Organization (WMO) chief Petteri Taalas said in Geneva. “In the future, such heat waves will be normal, and we will see even greater extremes.”
The US government cited the heatwave in Europe as evidence of the need for a determined fight against climate change. The current weather confirms “the dire warnings,” said US State Department spokesman Ned Price. (mse/afp)
