[Anchor]

A record-breaking heatwave striking Central Europe is spreading in all directions. As scorching temperatures hovering around 40°C (104°F) continue even in Northern Europe, water cannons have been deployed to help cope with the heat.

Reporter Kim Young-a has the story.

[Reporter]

Water cannons have appeared at Potsdamer Platz, a famous landmark in Berlin, Germany.

While usually used for crowd control, today, June 28, they are being used to combat the heatwave.

[Thank you.]

Citizens, dressed in light clothing, jump into the streams of water to cool off.

In Prague, Czech Republic, trucks are driving through the city all day spraying water, while in Hungary, artificial mist has been set up in the square in front of the parliament building in Budapest.

The city of Paris, France, has opened parts of its canals as swimming areas and installed heat shelters throughout the city.

With air conditioning penetration in households at only around 20 percent, authorities determined that many residents would find it difficult to endure the heat at home.

[Francoise Vernot / Resident of Paris 18th Arrondissement: I live in an attic. It is 33°C (91°F) inside my home, so it is difficult.]

Due to the record-breaking heat, all-time high temperature records are being shattered across Europe.

On June 27 (local time), the mercury soared to 41.5°C (107°F) in Drebkau, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The Czech Republic recorded 40.6°C (105°F), and Switzerland, known for the Alps, reached 39°C (102°F), marking their highest temperatures ever.

In the Northern European nation of Denmark, the temperature climbed to 37°C (99°F), setting a new record high for the first time in 152 years.

AFP reported that 193 million people across Europe are exposed to high temperatures of 35°C (95°F) or higher.

This heatwave is caused by a heat dome phenomenon, where hot air from North Africa has become trapped over Europe.

The World Meteorological Organization forecasts that this heat dome will move through Central Europe, hit Eastern Europe, and then travel toward the Balkan Peninsula, where countries like Bulgaria and Greece are located.

Video by Lee Seung-yeol