52.2C in China
A remote township in the north-western region of Xinjiang set a Chinese record of 52.2C (125.9F) on Sunday – in a country that was battling -50C weather six months ago. Sanbao is in the Turpan Depression, an arid basin of sand dunes and dried-up lakes where 50.3C was recorded in 2015. Beijing topped its record for high-temperature days in a year on Tuesday, with 27 days above 35C. The temperature in its southern suburbs soared even higher on Wednesday to 36.3C.
53.3C in the US
Temperatures at Furnace Creek in California’s Death Valley, which holds the record for the hottest place on Earth, hit 53.3C on Sunday, approaching the all-time high of 56.7C in July 1913. As record-breaking summer weather continued to affect millions in the US, Tuesday marked the 19th day the city of Phoenix, Arizona, which is the fifth biggest in the country, had been subjected to temperatures of at least 43.3C (110F) – the longest stretch of time spent in such brutal heat. Elsewhere heavy floods hit Kentucky and the north-east as rising temperatures caused clouds to hold more moisture.
Extreme rain in South Korea
Heavy rain has pummelled central and southern regions of South Korea since last week, leaving 46 dead and four missing. Fourteen deaths occurred in an underpass in the city of Cheongju, where more than a dozen vehicles were swamped on Saturday when a river levee collapsed. In the south-eastern province of North Gyeongsang, 22 people died, many as a result of landslides and swirling torrents. Hundreds of houses were destroyed, 30,000 hectares of farmland damaged and 700,000 livestock killed.
46.7C in Italy
Temperatures in parts of Sicily exceeded 46C on Wednesday amid the fierce heatwave stretching across southern Europe. The peaks were recorded in the area between Mazara del Vallo in the province of Trapani and Sciacca in the province of Agrigento; 48.8C registered in Floridia, Sicily, in 2021 is officially considered the highest recorded temperature in Europe. In Rome, 41.8C was reached on Tuesday, breaking the previous record of 40.7C set in June 2022, and Sardinia experienced highs of 45C. Italy’s health ministry placed 23 cities including Rome, Florence, Bologna, Bari, Catania, Cagliari, Palermo and Turin on “red alert”.
Extreme rain in India
At least 10 people were killed in the western Indian state of Maharashtra and 100 reported missing when a landslide hit the mountain hamlet of Irshalwadi, 35 miles from Mumbai, after as much as 400mm of rain fell in 24 hours. India’s north has received 41% more rain than normal in a monsoon season, and more than 100 people have died in flash floods and landslides since 1 June. At the Taj Mahal, the Yamuna River this week reached the compound walls for the first time in 45 years, submerging several historical monuments and gardens.
43C in Greece
Thousands of people have had to flee their homes as a result of forest fires and countless others have lost properties. On Wednesday water bombers flown in from Italy and France joined the operation to extinguish flames often fanned by strong winds. Temperatures are forecast to reach 44C over the weekend, with Greek meteorologists saying the worst is yet to come. Staff at the Acropolis and other ancient sites stopped work for four hours a day from Thursday in protest at working conditions. Access to the Unesco-listed Acropolis had been restricted for three days from last Friday but the measures were lifted on Monday as the thermometer dropped slightly.
44C in Morocco
North Africa has also been sweltering and Morocco’s meteorological service issued an extreme heat red alert for southern parts of the country. Morocco may be used to hot weather, but is experiencing above-average temperatures more typical of August than July – sparking fears of water shortages. The previous week Algeria and Morocco recorded some of their highest temperatures ever, reaching 48C.
37.3C in Japan
Some parts of Japan experienced their highest temperatures in more than four decades on Sunday, including Hirono town in Fukushima prefecture, where 37.3C was recorded. Television broadcasters urged people to stay indoors in the early part of the week, as heatstroke alerts were issued in 32 of 47 prefectures, mainly in central and south-western regions. Over the weekend the north of the country continued to be lashed by torrential rain that had lasted more than a week.
38C in Gaza
A heatwave in the Gaza Strip has worsened power shortages and caused discontent among local people, more than 2.3 million of whom live in a narrow strip of land squeezed between Egypt and Israel, suffering power cuts for up to 12 hours a day. Many shared videos of darkness at night and of their children sleeping on the floor to cool themselves. The area needs about 500MW of power a day in summer, according to officials. It receives 120MW from Israel while the enclave’s lone power plant supplies another 60MW.
45.4C in Spain
Spanish authorities pre-emptively evacuated hundreds of people over the weekend to avoid a wildfire that broke out on the Canary island of La Palma, while temperatures on Tuesday reached 45.4C in Figueres, Catalonia – the highest ever recorded in the north-eastern region. Spain’s national weather office, Aemet, reported on Wednesday that coastal waters had hit a record high for this time of year. The average temperature of the water off Spain in mid-July reached 24.6C, 2.2C higher than average for the season, Aemet said. Temperatures in some parts of Spain’s Mediterranean waters have hit 28C.
