Rome 9th August : The most intense heat wave in recent times has engulfed the majority of Europe, with record high temperatures being recorded in several countries, causing severe economic and health damage. The period of unusually dry and hot weather has led to fires in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece and all over the world, according to Xinhua news agency.
In Spain more than 4000 acres of land have been destroyed in wildfires, and across Europe Tens of thousands of people have been forced out of their homes, reports in the media claimed.
The heat and deficiency of water has apparently led to numerous deaths throughout Europe in the form of heat stroke or through other methods.
A number of nations have recorded temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius including Portugal which registered the highest temperature ever recorded of 47 degrees Celsius.
In Italy 19 cities were under alert for red of red alert as of Monday, which means the weather and temperature were so extreme and long lasting that they could affect the health of healthy people.
The Institute of Atmosphere and Climate Science of Italy’s National Research Council said last week that the year is expected to be the hottest and dry year ever recorded dating back to the 1800s.
The temperatures in the country during the time period between January and July ranged from 0.98 degrees Celsius above average for the time period that began in 1800 in the year 1800, while in July, average temperatures were 2.26 degrees Celsius above normal according to the institute.
Although there isn’t a complete data yet but the dry and hot weather is thought in news reports to have resulted in millions of dollars in losses from the agricultural sector in the hardest-hit European countries.
In Greece, France, and Italy the weather is predicted to slow the production of olive oil, which will lead to a rise in prices.
In France the wine production in 2022 is expected to decline in regards of quality and quantity as well as quality.Italy is predicted to witness the production of corn and animal feeds decrease.
The weather-related changes in Europe coincide with an already significant increase in global food prices due to the rise in fuel prices, as well as various supply chain problems exacerbated through the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Another area of the economy that is that is being impacted in Europe is the tourism industry which has been struggling to overcome the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite the dry and hot weather, reports suggest that this summer will be the most popular for travel in Europe since the year 2019.
.
