Deadly Heatwaves Fuel Wildfires While Southern Hemisphere Sees Rare Snow

[Anchor]

The world is suffering from extreme weather events. In Europe, where murderous heatwaves have struck, wildfires are spreading and causing significant damage. Meanwhile, in the Southern Hemisphere, South America is experiencing unprecedented cold, with snow even falling in some areas.

Reporter Park Won-gyeong has the story.

[Reporter]

Bright red flames have engulfed the night sky, and cars parked on the streets have been completely incinerated.

A wildfire that began on July 4 in Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city, is spreading rapidly, fueled by strong winds.

[Anastasios Chortokonidis/Thessaloniki Resident: There was a furniture factory behind my house, and it was completely destroyed (by the wildfire). Nothing is left.]

Following the additional deaths of more than 3,000 people across Europe due to the heatwave, wildfires are breaking out simultaneously as hot, dry air combines with strong winds.

It is reported that since the beginning of July, an area equivalent to 26,000 soccer fields has burned in Portugal, Spain, and France alone.

A wildfire also broke out near a race stage of the world-renowned cycling event, the Tour de France, leading organizers to hold the race without spectators.

[Christian Prudhomme/Tour de France Race Director: We ask the public not to approach the route or the finish line area for this stage.]

The eastern United States has also been hit by a heatwave with temperatures reaching 38°C (100°F) and a heat index of 43°C (109°F), with at least 25 deaths reported, including 22 in New Jersey alone.

Similar to the situation in Europe, the heat dome phenomenon is being cited as the primary cause.

[Jessica/Alabama, USA: It is just incredibly hot. So, I am using cooling towels and drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated.]

On the other hand, Argentina in the Southern Hemisphere has been hit by an unusual cold snap.

In Buenos Aires, the capital, where weather in early July is typically similar to autumn in Korea, the wind chill dropped to 0°C (32°F) on July 3, and rare snow has recently fallen, particularly in coastal areas.

Experts predict that due to the impact of climate change, extreme situations where one side is burning while the other is freezing will become increasingly common.

(Video Editing: Lee Seung-yeol, Source: X@turisargentina, X@SalinasEsteban)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.