Heatwave sees record temperatures in Spain

The current heatwave affecting Spain has set record high temperatures in several cities in the south and central regions of the country, the Spanish media and state meteorological agency (AEMET) informed on Friday.

It is also thought to have played a part in the death of a road worker close to Seville.

An all-time record high of 45.7 degrees Celsius was recorded on Thursday at the airport in Granada, where a wildfire on Thursday afternoon briefly threatened the famous Alhambra monument before being extinguished. Another new all-time record was also noted in the Andalusian city of Jaen, where temperatures of 42.1 degrees Celsius, beat the previous high of 41.6 degrees set in 1996.

AEMET also confirmed that seven Spanish cities on Thursday, including Madrid, experienced record temperatures for the month of July, with the mercury in the capital city rising to 40.2 degrees Celsius, 0.6 degrees above the previous record of 39.6 degrees registered in 2015.

Other cities experiencing their highest ever July temperatures were Badajoz, Caceres, Ciudad Real and Teruel, as well as Jaen and Granada.

The heat is thought to be at least partly responsible for the death of a 54-year-old man who died of suspected heatstroke close to the town of Moron de la Frontera, close to Seville.

The man was laying asphalt on a day when temperatures of 43 degrees Celsius were recorded in the town.

The exceptionally hot weather has been caused by hot air coming from North Africa and is forecast to last until Sunday.