Several European countries are experiencing a new wave of extreme weather conditions, with wildfires, drought and storms causing serious consequences. Authorities warn that the situation could worsen further in the coming days.
In northeastern Spain, nearly 1,000 people have been forced to leave their homes. Firefighters are deploying 30 aircraft to tackle the flames, while the fire in the area near Ores, in Aragon, alone has burned more than 12,000 hectares. Other fires remain active near Madrid and in the province of Guadalajara.
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Spain’s meteorological service says temperatures are expected to begin rising again from Sunday, reaching as high as 44 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country.
Drought is also becoming increasingly severe in France. High temperatures have raised concerns over the operation of a nuclear power plant in the south of the country, as the warming of Mediterranean waters makes it more difficult to cool the reactors.
Following the heatwave, several French regions have also been hit by powerful storms. As a result, two people have died and more than 53,000 families have been left without electricity.
Meanwhile, in Germany, falling water levels in the Rhine have created obstacles for river transport, also leading to higher transport costs. Reuters reported that the average temperature in Europe has reached 27.5 degrees Celsius, or around 4.2 degrees above the average for this time of year.
The World Health Organization has warned that the continent could face “several deadly weeks”. According to scientists, the latest heatwaves have caused thousands more deaths than usual across Europe.
