Hungary, Slovakia hit new temperature records

BUDAPEST: Hungary and neighbouring Slovakia on Tuesday (Jun 30) set new temperature records as a sweltering heatwave batters central Europe.

Slovakia hit a new record of 41.3C, according to its weather service, beating an all-time high of 41C set the previous day. The record was set in Kamenica nad Hronom in the south near the frontier with Hungary.

Across the border, the temperature reached 42C in Szecseny, beating a previous record of 41.9C from 2007, the HungaroMet national weather service said in a Facebook video.

Restrictions on water consumption have been imposed on some municipalities in both countries, which have been on the highest heat alert level for days.

Several places, including the central city of Nitra, are facing shortages of drinking water, with tanker trucks brought to supply people with water.

In a hilly Hungarian village northwest of Budapest, people brought plastic containers and bottles to fill up water at a roadside water cart in scorching 41C heat as taps have run dry.

"It's mainly to quench our thirst, and we have to give our animals water too," Andras Arki, a 23-year-old student, told AFP.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has urged people to moderate their water consumption and forego non-essential use, such as watering lawns and washing cars.

All-time temperature records have tumbled across Europe in a severe heatwave that has lasted more than a week.