Death toll rises as heatwaves hit Cyprus, Greece and Türkiye: Will this be Europe’s hottest summer?

Heatwaves across Cyprus and Greece have left multiple people dead with Türkiye battling wildfires as temperatures soared above 40C.

Parts of southern Europe have sweltered in record temperatures as warm air was blown across from North Africa and more is yet to come.

Warnings have been issued as the heat brought deadly consequences for some, with schools and tourist attractions closed.

Meteorologists say it could be a preview of the extreme weather still to come this summer.

The first heatwave of the summer in Greece saw the ancient Acropolis shut to tourists, schools closed and medics stationed across Athens. Meteorologists have said this stretch of high heat will “go down in history” and could be a sign of things to come this summer in the country.

At least five tourists, including UK TV doctor and journalist Michael Mosley, have died in Greece over the last few weeks.

A missing American tourist was found dead on the beach on a small island west of Corfu on Sunday, according to local media reports. The remains of a Dutch tourist were found on the eastern Greek island of Samos on Saturday. These are just the latest in a series of cases where visitors disappeared or fell ill after setting out on hikes in the extreme heat.

Temperatures soared above 40C in parts of the country last week with Crete reaching 44.5C and the Peloponnese peninsula 43.9C, according to the Athens National Observatory website. Athens reached 42C as health warnings were issued.

Greece’s longest-ever heatwave was recorded last year in July where high temperatures lasted 16 days. The Acropolis was also forced to close to tourists during this period of unprecedented extreme heat.

Heatwaves are getting earlier in the country according to some experts.