This July 19, the United Kingdom exceeded 40 degrees Celsius for the first time, breaking the record for high temperatures that hit Western Europe.
According to the British meteorological agency, at Heathrow airport, west of London, temperatures of 40.2 degrees were detected, exceeding the country’s heat threshold for the first time. The record came just an hour after a temperature of 39.1 degrees was recorded in the town of Charlwood before noon.
This is the second heat wave to hit Europe in just one month. According to scientists, this is a direct consequence of the climate crisis, generated by greenhouse gas emissions that are increasing in intensity, duration and frequency.
The high temperatures registered in the United Kingdom are generating fires, causing deaths and affecting the use of transport. On July 18, the trains registered a low speed operation for fear of deformations in the tracks, some canceled their service completely and the London King’s Cross station, one of the most important in the country, remained empty this July 19. As if that were not enough, London’s Luton airport had to close the runway due to heat damage.
Transport Secretary Grand Shapps said the infrastructure “simply wasn’t built to withstand this kind of temperature and it will be many years before we can replace it.”
For her part, Rachel Ayers, of the Meteorological Office, said that London, Manchester and Leeds are under the country’s first red alert for extreme heat, which implies a great risk to people’s health.
As for the health risk, multiple hospitals have reported medical attention for heat stroke and at least five drownings have been reported in rivers and lakes where people try to cool off.