Wildfires are ravaging a popular coastal area in Portugal, while torrential rains and flooding are battering large parts of Europe. The continent continues to be battered by extreme weather conditions this summer.
Flash floods in parts of France and the Netherlands have swept away cars in recent days, turning streets into rivers and leaving people trapped in their homes or even hospitalized.
Severe storms have proved deadly in the mountains of Germany and Austria, where two young hikers, aged 18 and 22, died in separate incidents after being struck by lightning. Warnings have been issued as more stormy weather is expected today.
But in Cascais, an area popular with British holidaymakers near the Portuguese capital Lisbon, it is a different story. Dry and windy conditions allowed a ‘large’ forest fire to break out yesterday. Dramatic images show the blaze spreading close to homes and holiday apartments.
Meanwhile, in Greece, dramatic footage shows fires raging through forests in several parts of the country, burning continuously for days after being started by lightning strikes and fanned by high winds.
PORTUGAL: Dramatic video shows large forest fires near homes in Alcabideche, Cascais
GREECE: In the northern mountainous area of Falakro, a wall of flames has been burning grassland for five days
British families travelling to Spain, Portugal and Morocco for their summer holidays this week have been warned to prepare for a heatwave with highs of up to 46 degrees Celsius.
NETHERLANDS: High water flooded cars and trapped people in their homes in the city of Enschede
TURKEY: People try to cool off by the water due to high temperatures in Istanbul
FRANCE: Lightning strikes over a Paris district amid storms in France ahead of the Olympic Games getting underway in the French capital
In the northern mountainous region of Falakro, a wall of flames has burned grassland for five days after lightning strikes set two areas alight, which then merged into one large front.
The fire is spreading quickly due to the strong wind, Prototheme reports, while firefighting helicopters continue to battle the blaze by dumping water, amid fears the fire could spread uncontrollably to residential areas.
A scorching heatwave sent temperatures in Greece soaring to 43 degrees Celsius last week. Today, temperatures in parts of the country are still just below 40 degrees Celsius.
Temperatures of up to 39 degrees Celsius have been recorded in the Athens region, with tourists being warned to take precautions to avoid heatstroke after the famous Acropolis was closed this week due to the hot weather.
While temperatures in Portugal are lower – around Lisbon the mercury is just above 20 degrees – a fierce forest fire raged in Alcabideche, Cascais on Sunday.
More than a dozen firefighting aircraft and nearly 400 firefighters worked yesterday to bring the blaze under control.
This morning, 156 firefighters were still on site as the battle against the huge fire entered its final phase.
Portugal, Spain and Morocco are bracing for even more scorching heat, with temperatures reaching 46 degrees this week.
According to the Meteorological Institute, the maximum temperature will be on Wednesday, when in Madrid the temperature will be 39 degrees Celsius, in Seville 43 degrees and in Lisbon 37 degrees.
The hottest weather in the region, however, will be in Marrakech, where it will reach 46 degrees on the same day. However, temperatures will drop again towards the end of this week.
Police officers direct traffic during a forest fire in Alcabideche, Cascais
Heavy smoke and large flames rise from a major forest fire on July 21, 2024 in Cascais, Portugal
A large plume of smoke rises above an apartment complex in Alcabideche, Portugal
A woman rescues animals during a forest fire in Alcabideche, Cascais
Two Canadair CL-215 (Scooper) firefighting aircraft fly over thick smoke to drop water at a major forest fire in Portugal
Temperatures will reach over 40C this week in Spain, Portugal and Morocco
Although it was expected to be less windy today, the continued warm weather is unlikely to help firefighters.
Although video footage showed flames shooting high into the air near residential buildings, local media reported that the fires only caused material damage to a fire truck.
On Sunday, 14 people were injured, including 11 firefighters and three civilians.
Meanwhile, heat waves are giving way to heavy storms in large parts of Northern Europe.
More than 45,000 lightning strikes were recorded in France last weekend, in what is considered the most severe storm wave of the year.
Wildfires continue to ravage parts of Greece as hot and dry conditions persist
A plane fights a forest fire in Alcabideche, Cascais, as smoke rises
A firefighter fights a forest fire in Alcabideche. 14 people are said to have been injured in the fire.
A “violent storm” that began on Saturday evening has caused “significant” flooding in the northeastern Haute-Marne region.
Five people have been hospitalized after a severe storm, “mainly for hypothermia,” regional officials said.
Huge hailstones were filmed along the south-east coast of France and on the island of Corsica last night, with locals and visitors warned to be careful.
Flash flooding also hit parts of the country, with people evacuated from their homes early Sunday morning as roads were blocked and power was cut.
Parts of France have been hit by flash floods in recent days, while storm warnings have been issued for the east of the country
Motorists drive through floodwaters in France during torrential rain
Similar scenes were seen yesterday in parts of the eastern Netherlands, where dangerously high water blocked highways and people were trapped in their homes.
In a shocking video, only the roofs of several cars can be seen as the entire parking lot next to an apartment building fills with water.
The Austrian Alps were also hit by devastating floods yesterday, with rivers bursting their banks and streets turning into waterways in what emergency workers described as “dramatic scenes.”
A state of emergency was in effect in the Carinthian town of Kremsbrücke on Sunday evening, with sirens being heard as houses were surrounded by high water.
Huge hailstones were filmed falling in areas along the south-eastern coast of France and on the island of Corsica last night (photo)
Local residents were warned not to leave their homes and to move to higher floors to avoid the rising water.
“It is too dangerous to go near the stream or the river,” warned Josef Glanzer, commander of the Kremsbrücke fire brigade.
Within a very short time, the area received approximately ‘110 to 130 mm of precipitation’.
The water only subsided around midnight and there are no reports of injuries, although the consequences of the storm for residents are ‘devastating’.