Record-Setting Heat Waves Wreak Havoc — Hundreds Dead So Far
(TargetLiberty.org) – Europe is being hammered by record high temperatures. Now, forests across the continent are burning, transport networks are in chaos, and hundreds of people are dead. Climate scientists believe this is going to become more common in the next few years.
A heat wave broiling Europe continues to fuel wildfires in Spain’s north-eastern region of Catalonia.
Firefighters are working around the clock to battle the flames that have encroached on residential areas and forced thousands of people to evacuate. pic.twitter.com/bjDNhjeHof
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 19, 2022
Since fluctuations in normal winds let a huge bubble of hot air from North Africa roll over Europe in mid-June, the continent has been hit by a series of abnormal heat waves. Over 30 wildfires are currently burning in Spain, with others in Portugal, France, and the Balkans. Over 31,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in France. Germany has suffered over 1,600 excess deaths, which officials are blaming on the heat. Spain says the heatwave has killed at least 748 people in the Iberian Peninsula.
In the UK, temperatures reached record highs on July 19. The previous record of 101°F was set in July 2019; on Tuesday, a temperature of 104.5°F was recorded at Coningsby, Lincolnshire. British railroad companies warned there was a risk of tracks warping in the extreme heat, and airports — and the Royal Air Force’s biggest air base — closed as runway surfaces melted.
The UK Met Office says all 10 of the country’s hottest years have occurred since 2002, and puts the blame on climate change. Climate scientists say heatwaves are becoming more frequent and more extreme. Are scorching summers Europe’s new reality?
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