The US, Spain and Italy are on alert; The National Weather Service (NWS) predicts an “extremely dangerous” wave
Brandon Bell/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP
The extreme heat is raging in countries in the northern hemisphere, where record temperatures are forecast for the next few days. This Sunday, the 16th, tens of millions of people faced high temperatures, further evidence of the consequences of climate change. In the United States, the National Weather Service (NWS) is forecasting an “extremely dangerous” heatwave from California to Texas. “Just drinking water makes me dizzy, I throw up because of the heat, I need something else, a coke, a Gatorade and ice cream to feel good,” said a 28yearold. old Mexican who called his name just like Juan who works in the construction industry in Houston, Texas. In the Death Valley region of California, the temperature reached 51 °C on Saturday. 54 degrees were predicted for Sunday.
In addition to the high temperatures, Southern California is the scene of fires that have destroyed more than 1,200 acres. North of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, A brief flash flood killed three people on Saturday and four people are still missing, firefighters said. In Canada, more than 10 million hectares have been destroyed by fires since the beginning of the year, a balance significantly higher than what the country recorded in 2022. The data, considered preliminary, recorded more than 900 active outbreaks across the country on Saturday, according to the Canadian Interagency Wildfire Center (CIFFC), 570 of which were out of control.
A young man cools off in a well in central Corboda due to the extreme heat│EFE/Salas
The same scenario is repeated in Europe, where warming is happening twice as fast as the world average, according to scientists, several countries are facing extreme temperatures. In Italy, 16 cities are on red alert with maximum temperatures of 36 and 37 degrees Celsius. Despite the heat, nearly 15,000 pilgrims and tourists flocked to St. Peter’s Square to hear Pope Francis recite the Angelus blessing, according to the Vatican. Among the visitors was François Mbemba, a 29yearold Congolese priest. He said that in Rome “it is hotter than in Africa”. “The heat lasts all night and it’s difficult to sleep. “We sweat a lot in black,” he explained.
This Sunday is the Spain was about to start a new heatwave after enduring a week of high temperatures. With serious consequences on the island of La Palma (Canary Islands), where a fire destroyed 5,000 hectares over the weekend and forced 4,000 residents to flee the region. The island suffered the devastating effects of the volcanic eruption in late 2021. “I feel helpless when I see everything burn, when I see two cities being completely evacuated, and when I know that there are people who lost everything to the volcano and have rebuilt their lives.” in the north, but now they have had to leave their homes again and again risk losing everything,” said Patricia Sánchez, 37, a worker with the Spanish Red Cross.
The Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has issued orange alerts for high temperatures (38 to 42ºC) this Sunday in several locations in the Iberian Peninsula and in the Balearic Islands on Monday 17th, in addition to a red alert (extreme danger) also on Monday. Fair for areas of Andalusia and on Tuesday in Aragon, Catalonia and Mallorca (42 to 44ºC). In Greece, where the forecast is for a slight drop in temperature, authorities decided the Athens Acropolis would remain closed in the afternoon.
South Korean emergency teams are searching for survivors along a flooded road leading to an underground tunnel where about 19 cars were trapped in the flood after heavy rains in Cheongju │Handout / National Fire Agency / AFP
In Asia, the storms are accompanied by extreme heat. In South Korea, rescue workers tried to reach people trapped in a flooded tunnel. The heavy rains of the last few days have left at least 37 dead and nine missing in the country. In Japan, authorities in 20 of the country’s 47 municipalities issued a heatstroke warning as temperatures hit 40 degrees in many cities. In Tokyo, where the temperature reached 36C, “just walking is tiring,” commented Coline Grison, a 24yearold French tourist.
The extreme heatwave is affecting the east and southwest of the archipelago, while other areas of the country are facing torrential rains that have claimed at least eight lives in recent days. China issued several high temperature warnings, reporting that thermometers could reach 45 degrees Celsius in the Xinjiang region (northeast), partly in the desert, and 39 degrees Celsius in the Guangxi region (south). Heat is one of the deadliest meteorological events, as recently stated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). According to a recent study, more than 60,000 people died as a result of the heat in Europe alone last summer.
*With information from AFP