Europe Faces 'Heatwave' Over 45 Degrees, Opposite Side Hit by 'Record-Breaking Floods'... Climate Crisis Strikes the Globe

Record Heatwave in Southern Europe Including Italy
Emergency Due to Torrential Rain in Korea and China

Recently, various parts of the globe have been suffering from extreme weather events such as heatwaves and heavy rains. While South Korea has suffered severe damage due to record-breaking heavy rains, Europe and other regions are being hit by heatwaves approaching 50 degrees Celsius.

According to The Guardian and others on the 16th (local time), the European Space Agency (ESA) warned based on satellite observation data that temperatures in southern Europe, where the recent heatwave is intensifying, could rise even further. ESA predicted that temperatures on the Italian island of Sicily could reach up to 48.8 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature recorded in Europe in August 2021, within this month.

Amidst the severe heatwave sweeping across Southern Europe, tourists near the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, were shielding themselves from the sun to escape the heat on the 14th (local time).
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

On that day, due to a high-pressure system coming up from North Africa, temperatures in some parts of Italy rose above 45 degrees Celsius. Italian meteorologist Giulio Betti expressed concern, saying, "Not only Italy but also Greece, T?rkiye, and the Balkan Peninsula are expected to reach peak temperatures between the 19th and 23rd," adding, "The record for the highest daytime temperatures in several regions, including these areas, could be broken."

The Italian Meteorological Society named this heatwave the 'Cerberus Heatwave,' referring to the extreme and dreadful heat, likening it to Cerberus, the three-headed guardian monster of the underworld in Greek mythology.

Meanwhile, Athens, the capital of Greece, recorded a daytime temperature of 41 degrees Celsius on the 14th. In response, the Greek government decided to close the famous tourist site, the Acropolis of Athens, from noon to 5 p.m. to protect tourists' health. The Acropolis, an ancient temple site, is a hill area without shade, where temperatures are expected to be even higher.

The Spanish Meteorological Agency also warned that the heatwave is intensifying, with temperatures reaching up to 44 degrees Celsius in some southern areas such as Seville.

On the afternoon of the 14th, as the water level rose near Hyeonamgyo Bridge by the riverside in Seonhwa-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon, submerging the nearby underpass, Daejeon citizens watched the falling rain. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the other hand, in Asia, record-breaking heavy rains have caused casualties and damage to facilities. In South Korea, from the 13th to the morning of the 17th, heavy rains poured down across the country, resulting in 40 deaths. There are 9 missing persons and 34 injured.

Earlier this month, in Chongqing, China, heavy rains caused 15 deaths and 4 missing persons. The number of flood victims has been estimated to exceed 37,000. Additionally, on the 10th, the southwestern region of Japan, Kyushu, experienced record-breaking rainfall of up to 400 mm, resulting in 3 deaths.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.