Record heatwave in Europe leaves 3 dead in Spain
MADRID (AFP) — Three men have died from heatstroke in Spain as Europe sweltered in a record heatwave last Friday, with temperatures hitting a scorching 45 degrees Celsius in some areas and meteorologists saying only scant relief is in sight in the coming days.
A middle-aged man in Barcelona, who media said appeared to be homeless, was found collapsed on a street and taken to a hospital where he later died of heatstroke, Catalonia’s civil protection agency said in a statement.
Two other men – a roadworker in his 40s and a 78-year-old pensioner – also died from heatstroke this week, as Spain is set to experience one of its hottest days this summer on Friday, with temperatures expected to top 44 degrees Celsius in Badajos on the border with Portugal, 42 degrees Celsius in Seville and 40 degrees Celsius in Madrid.
In Portugal, temperatures topped a record 45 degrees in Alvega, 150 kilometers north of Lisbon, on Thursday. The heatwave was expected to reach its peak yesterday, according to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).
While no “substantial” wildfires have been reported so far, the emergency services said they remain on maximum alert and Interior Minister Eduardo Cabrita declared a policy of “zero tolerance” toward risky activities, such as barbecues.