Britain witnesses hottest day ever as temperatures hit 40C

London, July 20 (BNA): Britain on Tuesday recorded its hottest day ever, with temperature exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) as the heat wave intensified across Europe.

Train tracks are tangled up and fueling a wave of fires across London.

The Met Office said a new temporary record temperature of 40.3 degrees Celsius (104.5 Fahrenheit) was recorded in Koningsby, in central England, with 34 locations across the country experiencing temperatures above the previous high of 38.7 degrees Celsius (101.7 Fahrenheit) recorded. in 2019.

Stephen Belcher of the Met Office said he had not expected to see such temperatures in Britain in his career.

“Research conducted here at the Met Office has shown that it is nearly impossible for the UK to experience 40°C in an uninterrupted climate, but climate change from greenhouse gases has made these extreme temperatures possible,” he said.

Train services on the main routes from London to the country’s east and west coasts were canceled, power companies reported mass outages and normally busy city centers seemed quiet.

The London Fire Brigade declared a major accident and urged people to stop barbecuing, as hundreds of firefighters battled blazes across the capital.

To the east, a large fire engulfed homes in the village of Wennington, burning across about 40 hectares (100 acres) of dry neighboring fields.

Elsewhere, large grassy areas were set ablaze around the capital, and smoke rose on main roads and adjacent areas.

The London Ambulance Service said it was handling 400 calls an hour due to the sweltering heat.

“We are seeing an increase in patients experiencing heat exposure, breathing difficulties, dizziness and fainting,” said Peter Rhodes, deputy director of ambulance operations.

Britain has been placed in a state of national emergency due to the unprecedented temperatures.

ZHB