Temperature records have been broken in several countries as a heatwave continues across Europe.
This is the second heatwave for the continent in as many months.
Temperatures are hitting the 40°C mark in parts of Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
There is a warning that the heat will exacerbate drought in some of these areas, as well as fuel the risk of wildfires.
In Paris, forecasters said temperatures hit 42.6°C and could rise further.
Record temperatures had been recorded in the French capital earlier in the day but were swiftly surpassed.
42,6 °C relevés @paris à 16h32, et la température pourrait encore augmenter #Canicule #vigilancerouge pic.twitter.com/HkNPT5VssO
— Météo-France (@meteofrance) July 25, 2019
Other record temperatures were reported in other areas of France throughout this afternoon.
Belgium hit a record high of 40.2°C on Wednesday, according to the state broadcaster RTBF.
This was seen in the city of Liège.
However, that was surpassed earlier today with a reading of 40.6°C in Kleine Brogel.
The Netherlands also broke a 75-year-old heat record for temperatures, which was set back in August 1944.
The town of Gilze en Rijen saw the mercury hit of 38.8°C on Wednesday afternoon.
That record was short-lived as temperatures passed the 40°C mark in parts of the country today.
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is advising people to follow advice from local weather and hydrological services and to protect themselves.
Due to climate change, heatwaves are expected to become longer, more frequent and intense.
The WMO says they will also start earlier and finish later than they have in the past.
European #heatwave pic.twitter.com/I3uj6AiixZ
— WMO | OMM (@WMO) July 24, 2019
