Record highs scorch the globe as Europe prepares for heatwave peak

More temperature records were expected to tumble on Tuesday as Europe awaited the peak of a punishing heatwave and wildfires scorched swathes of the Northern Hemisphere, forcing the evacuation of 1,200 children close to a Greek seaside resort.

Health authorities have sounded alarms from North America to Europe and Asia, urging people to stay hydrated and shelter from the burning sun, in a stark reminder of the effects of global warming.

Europe, the world's fastest-warming continent, was bracing for its hottest-ever temperature on Italy's islands of Sicily and Sardinia, where a high of 48 degrees Celsius has been forecast by the European Space Agency. Near Athens, emergency services were battling wildfires in Kouvaras and the resorts of Lagonissi, Anavyssos and Saronida.