A powerful heat wave is sweeping across much of Europe, prompting health alerts as extreme temperatures persist. Southern Spain has been hit the hardest, with Seville and nearby areas seeing temperatures soar over 45°C (113°F).
In the town of El Granado, a new national record for the month was set on June 28 when temperatures reached 46°C (115°F), according to Spain’s national weather agency. The agency also noted that this June is on pace to become the hottest on record.
Several countries have issued red-level heat alerts, including parts of Portugal, Italy, and Croatia. Meanwhile, amber warnings are in place across large swaths of Spain, France, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Switzerland, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and more.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, climate change is driving these rising temperatures—with potential serious consequences. Wildfires destroy homes and take lives, extreme heat threatens food supply, and the elderly are especially at risk. In Europe and Central Asia, half of all children face frequent heat waves, twice the global average of one in four children.
To find out more about the biggest heat waves ever, read up on the hottest days in history in this gallery.