As records of unprecedented temperatures continue to smash each other around the world, a heat wave has covered a number of countries.
From the United States and Europe to China to Japan, extreme temperatures are rising for weeks, killing hundreds, starting wildfires in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and Greece, and forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes as many seek refuge in public cooling centers.
Nearly 90 cities have issued heat warnings, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, including several Japanese cities that have broken heat records dating back to 1875. Meanwhile, in the United States, the lives of more than 100 million people have been threatened by heat-induced wildfires raging in California, prompting President Joe Biden to consider declaring a climate change emergency.
The epicenter of the current heat wave is Europe, where millions of people in France, Italy, and the UK are suffering from the ongoing chaos caused by commuter train delays.