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The UK Met Office has issued an amber high temperature warning from Sunday to Tuesday, as temperatures could exceed the 2019 record of 38.7 Celsius (101.7 degrees Fahrenheit), posing a threat to commuters.
Temporary speed limits will be introduced on London Tube and train services “to keep everyone safe”, Lord added, urging commuters to “carry water at all times”.
Extreme heat can damage electrical lines and signal equipment. TfL said it would use the extra checks to keep services running smoothly and mitigate the effects of extreme heat.
Regular track temperature checks are carried out to prevent tracks from bending or twisting, TfL said in a statement. The network will test tube network and air-conditioning systems in the capital’s double-decker buses.
Motorists are encouraged to avoid driving during the hottest part of the day.
‘Life is in danger’
The UK Met Office has warned that lives are at risk as temperatures could reach 40C (104F) early next week.
“If people have relatives or neighbors who are vulnerable, now is the time to make sure they are taking the appropriate steps to cope with the heat, because if the forecast is at a red warning area as we think, then people’s lives are at risk,” Met Office spokesman Graham Madge said.
The UK’s Health Protection Agency has raised its heat health warning from level three to level four — the equivalent of a “national emergency”.
Wildfires destroyed Spain, France and Portugal
Flames have also ravaged parts of Extremadura in western Spain, as well as the central region of Castile and Leon. The wildfire threatened historic landmarks including a 16th-century monastery and a national park, and destroyed more than 18,500 hectares of forest.
Water bombers and more than 1,000 firefighters were deployed in southwestern France to control two fires fueled by strong winds and tinderbox conditions, Reuters reported. 11,300 people have been displaced and 18,000 hectares of land have burned since wildfires broke out in the Dune du Pilat and Landiras area.
Temperatures are expected to exceed 40C in Portugal, with five districts on red high heat alert and more than 1,000 firefighters tackling 17 wildfires, according to authorities.
Western Europe has seen a sharp increase in heat wave-related injuries. Portugal reported 238 deaths between July 7 and 13, according to the country’s DGS health authority. Between July 10 and July 14, Spain has reported more than 237 deaths, according to the country’s Ministry of Health. As the figures for July 15 are yet to be released, the death toll is likely to rise. An estimated 829 excess deaths were recorded in Spain due to the heat in June, according to the Ministry of Health.
The climate crisis pushes extreme weather
The potential for temperatures above 40 degrees is “rapidly increasing,” Christidis said.
CNN’s Manveena Suri, Angela Fritz and Rachel Ramirez reported for this post.
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