UK heatwave: National emergency declared as authorities issue first-ever red weather warning 

With Britain’s weather forecaster issuing its first-ever red “extreme heat” warning for parts of England on Monday and Tuesday, the UK government has put all machineries at its beck and call to avoid untoward incidents.
Britain’s Met Office has declared a national emergency for Monday and Tuesday next week when temperatures could reach record highs.
According to news agency Reuters, much of Europe is reeling under a severe heatwave condition that has pushed temperatures into the mid-40 degrees Celsius in some regions, with wildfires raging across tinder-dry country in Portugal, Spain, France and Croatia on Thursday.

While the highest ever recorded temperature in Britain was 38.7 degrees Celsius, recorded on July 25, 2019, the Met Office said it was now forecasting temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius for the first time in Britain.
“Exceptional, perhaps record-breaking temperatures are likely early next week,” Reuters quoted Met Office Chief Meteorolog Paul Gundersen as saying, predicting a 50 per cent chance temperatures top 40 degrees Celsius and 80 per cent chance a new maximum temperature is reached.
A family apply sunscreen to protect themselves from the sun on a hot and sunny day in Barcelona, Spain, July 15, 2022. (AP)
People cool off in the water on a hot and sunny day at the beach in Barcelona, Spain, July 15, 2022. (AP)
In view of the prevailing conditions, the British government is set to hold an emergency response meeting Saturday to plan for record high temperatures, news agency AP reported.
With children and older people considered particularly vulnerable to high temperatures, schools and care homes have been urged to take steps to protect students and older residents.

According to news agency PTI, the Met Office has warned that “adverse health effects” might be experienced many and will not be limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat.
Met Office chief executive Penny Enders described the extreme heat forecast as “absolutely unprecedented” and urged the public to take warnings seriously.
People cool off at a fountain in Madrid Rio Park during the second heatwave of the year in Madrid, Spain, July 14, 2022. (Reuters)
Meanwhile, high water temperatures threaten to reduce France’s already unusually low nuclear output, piling more pressure on operator EDF at a time when half its reactors are offline due to maintenance and corrosion issues. The valley between the Rhone and Garrone rivers has reached sweltering temperatures in recent days which are expected to hit around 40 degrees Celsius on Friday and remain above seasonal levels through early next week.
People rest in the shade in front of the Duomo gothic cathedral, in Milan, Italy, July 14, 2022. (AP)
A helicopter works on containing a wildfire during the second heatwave of the year in the vicinity of Guadapero, Spain. (Reuters)
Hundreds more people were evacuated from their homes as wildfires blered land in France, Spain and Portugal on Friday, while officials in Europe issued health warnings for the heatwave in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the pilot of a Portuguese firefighting plane died when his plane crashed while on a firefighting operation in the northeast of the country Friday. The death came as fires continued to rage across Portugal, neighboring Spain and in France.
In a message on his official Twitter account, Portuguese Prime Miner António Costa said, “It was with great dismay that I became aware of the death of the pilot who operated an aircraft that fell this afternoon.”
(With inputs from agencies)