Europe

In pictures: Europe's June 2019 heatwave

  • 27 June 2019
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A man does a handstand in the French city of Nice - 27 June Image copyright Reuters
Image caption Temperatures reached 40C in parts of southern France on Thursday

People across Europe are searching for ways to keep cool amid soaring temperatures.

A heatwave - caused by a plume of hot air from the Sahara, according to meteorologists - is sweeping parts of the continent, with Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic seeing their highest ever June temperatures on Wednesday, and intense heat in the southwest on Thursday.

As temperatures topped 40C (104F) in some parts of northern Spain, the region of Catalonia's worst wildfires in 20 years seemed likely to spread rapidly.

It looks likely it will get hotter still, with possible record temperatures in France in the coming days.

Fires in Catalonia - 27 June Image copyright AFP
Image caption The fire near the Catalan town of La Torre de l'Espanyol has already affected at least 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres)
Grab from a video released on 27 June of firefighters tackling the Catalonia fire Image copyright AFP
Image caption Firefighters have been battling the blazes since Wednesday
A dog cools off in a fountain in Turin, Italy - 27 June Image copyright EPA
Image caption Forecasts of 40C+ temperatures in northern Italy were not quite realised, but people and animals alike still needed to cool off
A child cools off under a fountain in Montpellier, southern France - 27 June Image copyright AFP
Image caption A child cools off under a fountain in Montpellier, southern France
A woman with a parasol visits El Retiro park in Madrid, Spain - 27 June Image copyright Google
Image caption The Spanish capital Madrid avoided the hotter temperatures further north
A keeper applies sun cream to a South American tapir "Bambou" at an animal park in Germany Image copyright AFP
Image caption An animal keeper ensures South American tapir "Bambou" is protected from the rays in Germany
A jaguar cools off in a pool in Bordeaux-Pessac zoo in southwestern France - 26 June Image copyright AFP
Image caption A jaguar took a plunge in a pool in Bordeaux-Pessac zoo in southwestern France on Wednesday
People cool down at sunset in Lake Geneva - 26 June Image copyright EPA
Image caption A man takes a picturesque sunset dip in Lake Geneva
Tourists shelter from the sun with umbrellas in front of the Colosseum in Rome on June 25, 2019 during a heatwave. Image copyright AFP
Image caption In Rome, umbrellas proved a popular way to hide from the soaring temperatures
A man walks by as tourists take selfies on the French Riviera city of Nice on June 24, 2019, as temperatures soar to 33 degrees Celsius Image copyright AFP
Image caption In the French Riviera city of Nice, temperatures hit 33C on Monday
A polar bear cools down with frozen fruit at Hannover Zoo in Germany Image copyright AFP
Image caption A polar bear cools down with frozen fruit at Hannover Zoo in Germany
A man dives in an open air public pool in Straubing, southern Germany, where temperatures reached up to 34 degrees Celsius on June 26, 2019. Image copyright DPA
Image caption Like many in Europe, this man in the German city of Straubing went for a swim on Wednesday as temperatures continued to rise
A young boy runs through a fountain in Hungary Image copyright EPA
Image caption A young boy puts a fountain to good use in Hungary
A couple swim past a model boat at the Schwarzachtal lakes in southern Germany Image copyright AFP
Image caption A couple swim past a model boat at the Schwarzachtal lakes in southern Germany
The Prague public soak up the sun Image copyright EPA
Image caption The Prague public soak up the sun

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