The mercury reaches 47°C in Spain, which is close to its temperature record

Spain is suffocating again since Monday, with temperatures rising to 47 degrees, close to their absolute record (47.6) in this country: “abnormally high” values ​​for the season, the National Meteorological Office (Amet) observed. .

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According to measurements by Aemet, the mercury reached 47 degrees on Monday in Villarrobildo in the south, close to the record of 47.6 degrees measured in the Andalusian city of La Rambla (south) on August 14, 2021.

The mercury also exceeded 44 degrees in several cities in the Andalusian provinces of Córdoba and Zane (south).

After the last few days, Spain is facing the third heat wave of the summer, and “with very high, unusual temperatures, even though we are already in the hottest period of the season. ‘Year”, explained Amet. on Twitter.

These “abnormally high” temperatures on Monday are “5 to 10°C above average in the interior of the peninsula and the Balearic Islands”. Conditions will worsen on Tuesday as the mercury will be “10 to 15 degrees Celsius” above normal at some places.

Photo: AFP

ATTENTION: A fire on the Spanish island of La Palma, in northwest Africa’s Canary Islands, broke out on Saturday morning and subsided on Sunday due to falling temperatures.

Still being battled by hundreds of firefighters, the Defense Ministry said on Monday afternoon that its progress was “positive”. However, high temperatures will complicate the fight for firefighters supported by multiple planes and helicopters.

In total, according to the latest estimate by the civil defense, nearly 3,500 hectares have burned, and 4,000 people had to be evacuated, most of whom have already managed to reach their homes, according to officials.

The interior ministry warned on Monday that the fire risk was “very high” or “severe” in most parts of the country.

AFP

In 2022, almost 500 fires burned over 300,000 hectares in Spain, a record in Europe, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (Effis).

2023 promises to be a dangerous year for the country, which has been hit hard by climate change, with nearly 68,000 hectares of smog since the start of the year.

The severe heat episode will last till Wednesday. Temperatures are expected to drop from Thursday.

In a sign of global warming, harvests have started two weeks earlier in some parts of Andalusia.