An unusual scene in London yesterday as a woman fans herself while waiting for a train on the underground on a hot day. Temperatures in London hit 34.5 degree Celsius (94 degree Fahrenheit) by lunchtime, making it the hottest day in July in nine years in Britain. Photos: ReutersAn unusual scene in London yesterday as a woman fans herself while waiting for a train on the underground on a hot day. Temperatures in London hit 34.5 degree Celsius (94 degree Fahrenheit) by lunchtime, making it the hottest day in July in nine years in Britain. Photos: Reuters

The United Nations warned yesterday of the dangers posed by hot weather, especially to children and the elderly, as much of Europe sweltered in a heatwave whose intensity it blamed on climate change.

Authorities should give people as much warning as possible of potentially dangerous high temperatures so that they take can precautions, the World Meteorological Organisation and the World Health Organisation said.

It also reminded people to drink plenty of water. Tens of thousands of people died across Europe in a 2003 heatwave and again in Russia in 2010.

Separately, AccuWeather said that while extreme heat has already built up across Spain and Portugal, hot conditions will expand across Europe this week. In Paris, temperatures peaked yesterday near 38 Celsius (100 Fahrenheit).

Young children, the elderly and people working outside were most vulnerable to the effects, which range from heat rash to cramps, exhaustion, dehydration, heatstroke and death, the UN guidance said, urging people to take precautions.

“These range from simple actions such as ensuring sufficient indoor ventilation or liquid intake to the initiation of community-based ‘buddy’ systems and transport of the vulnerable to dedicated cooling centres.”

Heatwaves becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change

Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of climate change, the UN said. Cities particularly were heating up as buildings trapped hot air.

“So when you look at the pattern here in Europe in the last 10 or 15 years - 2003, 2010 and 2015 – we’re seeing temperatures that set records,” Maxx Dilley, WMO climate expert, told Reuters.

“So it’s quite unusual to see so many hot episodes so close, so frequently and occurring so close to each other,” he said.

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