Europe under a heat “assault”: Italy raises drought alarm as the continent records unprecedented temperatures

Unprecedented temperatures for the month of June continue to grip Europe as the heatwave sweeps across the continent. In Italy, authorities have raised the alarm over drought, as the country’s longest river has begun to dry up, severely damaging the agricultural sector.

According to Italian authorities, the Po River has never before been seen at such low levels, increasing concern over a devastating drought during the month of July. The inter-regional river agency said that, within just a few days, the river’s flow had dropped below 300 cubic meters per second.

An alarming situation is also unfolding in Germany, where a new temperature record was set today, just one day after the country recorded the hottest day in its history. According to AFP, the German Meteorological Service recorded 41.5 degrees Celsius in Drewitz, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, during the afternoon.

This surpassed the previous record of 41.3 degrees Celsius, set just one day earlier in Saarbrücken. Meanwhile, at London airports, more than 700 flights were delayed and dozens of others were canceled because of the extreme heat. Authorities said that “temporary air traffic restrictions were imposed due to the heatwave.”

For the first time, Slovakia also registered a record for extreme temperatures, as thermometers did not fall below 26.3 degrees Celsius even during the night. At the same time, Romania became the latest country on the continent to issue a red alert, warning that from Monday through Wednesday the entire country would face extreme heat.

Earlier, many other European countries had also issued red alerts because of the scorching temperatures. In Spain, hundreds of deaths have been reported, while France is also facing temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. The Czech Republic, Hungary and Moldova were also on red alert, while the Balkan countries, including Albania, are bracing for difficult days.

The Danish Meteorological Institute announced that 37 degrees were recorded north of the city of Aarhus on Saturday, the highest temperature recorded since measurements began in 1874.