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This day beats all records: For the first time in the history of weather records, the temperature in London exceeds 40 degrees.
For many, the fountain in Trafalgar Square is the only place to endure Tuesday.
Beau Ward, Tourist
“We're from Alaska. We didn't expect it (the heat). We've booked a hostel that's also going to be super hot so we're going to find a park near the Thames and try to get some breeze and some shade. That's pretty extreme, we didn't expect that from London
.
But we will get through it because we are only here for two days, we will make the best of it.
And yes, we're sweating quite a bit
.'
While some die-hards brave the heat, the cities are still largely deserted.
Many are drawn to the coast, where cooling is guaranteed.
– It would have been urgently needed to cool down elsewhere.
But still: this train is still running.
The British rail network operator reported the highest temperature ever measured on a track: 62 degrees.
For this reason, there are so-called "no travel zones" in large parts of the country, many trains are delayed or only run slowly, and in some places traffic has been stopped altogether.
Darren Smith, tourist
'We had to change hotels this morning because the trains weren't running, so we had to book another train and another hotel. And there's another train booked for tomorrow, but we're not complaining, so it's all good
.'
Many waiting people also gathered at Luton Airport on Monday.
Parts of a runway had melted.
The airport therefore had to be closed for a few hours, flights were canceled or diverted until operations could resume in the evening.
Like many other parts of Europe, wildfires broke out in Britain, including near London and Birminhgam.
Although the fires are small in comparison, they have not yet been extinguished.
According to many experts, climate change is responsible for the increase in extreme weather events.
Charles, British Crown Prince
“If I may say, net-zero emissions commitments have never been more important than they are today, as we are all sweating under alarming record-breaking temperatures in the UK and Europe. And as I have been trying to signal for some time, the climate crisis is indeed a real emergency and it is extremely important for Cornwall, the country and the rest of the world to address it
.”
The warning level red was declared for the first time in the kingdom, indicating that there is a risk of death even for healthy people.
The fact that ice cream is completely sold out in many supermarkets may seem irrelevant, but it is at least disappointing for all those who were looking forward to a refreshment.
– A small consolation: the temperatures are supposed to drop from now on.
