Highlighting the importance of early warning and heat-health action plans,  the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has warned that extreme heat is impacting millions of people around the world.

As per WMO data, many regions across the world are increasingly experiencing frequent global heatwaves and record-breaking temperatures. The average sea surface temperature was also the third highest on record. In July, within Europe, heatwave conditions particularly affected Sweden and Finland, which experienced an unusually long spell of temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius.

WMO also noted that in the past week, maximum temperatures exceeded 42 degrees Celsius in parts of West Asia, southern Central Asia, most of North Africa, southern Pakistan, and southwestern United States. Maximum temperatures in southwestern Iran and eastern Iraq. WMO also noted that the extreme heat has fueled devastating wildfires, causing casualties and worsening air quality.