Heat wave in Italy: historical temperature record measured in Sicily - incredible numbers

In the Mediterranean there is an infernal heat because of the high "Lucifer".

A historic record temperature has now been measured in Sicily.

Sicily - An enormous heat in the Mediterranean has led to forest fires that spread uncontrollably.

A historical maximum temperature may now have been recorded in Sicily.

The regional authorities have reported that the thermometer near Syracuse read 48.8 degrees.

As the ARD reports, this value has not yet been officially confirmed and is currently being checked by the Italian weather service.

If the measurement is confirmed, that would be a historic record.

Such a high temperature has never been measured in either Italy or Europe.

The previous heat record in Italy is 48.5 degrees and was also measured in Sicily in 1999.

Local service reports a record temperature of 48.8 degrees - verification is pending

The record heat of 48.8 degrees was reported by a small, local meteorological service (Servizio Informativo Agrometorologico Siciliano).

However, the data from the associated measuring stations are automatically played out and are not subject to any further checks.

Other, larger weather service providers in the region do not confirm the record temperature.

However, a record was confirmed: with almost 45 degrees, the highest value for this summer was reached near Catania in Sicily.

The reason for these extreme temperatures is the high "Lucifer", which will move north in the coming days and accordingly bring record heat to Tuscany and central Italy.

The persistent heat is a huge problem in the face of the forest fires raging in Calabria and Sicily.

Forest fires are raging in the Mediterranean region - emergency services from 20 countries are deployed

Greece is also badly affected by forest fires.

On the Peloponnese peninsula and the island of Evia, emergency services fight the flames at 30 degrees.

In northeastern Greece there were both hail showers and heavy rain.

So far, however, the rain has not yet spread to the areas affected by the forest fires.

In Evia, around 900 firefighters are still trying to stop the flames.

There were around 570 emergency services on the Peloponnese peninsula.

The Greek rescue workers also receive help from abroad.

More than 20 countries have sent emergency services to Greece - including Germany.

Fire-fighting planes and helicopters such as the Russian transport plane Ilyushin are also in use in Greece.

Extreme weather: between forest fires and floods

The heat is also great in North Africa.

Tunisia and Algeria are particularly hard hit by large forest fires.

50 new fires are said to have broken out in just one day.

The fires in Algeria claimed 69 lives.

Turkey has been fighting forest fires in the southwestern Mugla province since July 28th.

In the north of the country, there was another weather disaster: after heavy rainfall, lightning-fast floods and landslides.