A record-breaking heatwave has struck Central Europe, with Austria and Slovakia both breaking their all-time high temperature records, AFP reported.

Austria's national meteorological service announced that 41.2°C (106°F) was recorded in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in the east on the 5th (local time).

This is a new record, surpassing the previous high of 41.0°C (106°F) recorded the previous day in the capital, Vienna.

Following what was the fourth-hottest July on record, the heatwave in Austria has continued unabated into August.

With extreme drought conditions persisting, precipitation deficits at some monitoring stations have reached 90%, the meteorological agency explained.

In Slovakia, 41.4°C (106°F) was measured in Kamenica nad Hronom in the southwestern part of the country.

This is Slovakia's highest temperature on record, surpassing the 41.3°C (106°F) recorded in the same region last June.

As the heatwave and drought have caused the water level of the Danube River to plummet to record lows, serious disruptions are occurring in power generation, water transport, and fishing in countries along the Danube, including Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary.

In Poland, as the heatwave continues for an extended period, the highest level of heatwave warnings has been issued for most of the country, including the capital, Warsaw.

The meteorological agency forecast that temperatures in the southeastern region, in particular, will soar up to 40°C (104°F).

As sweltering heat is expected to continue for the time being, with temperatures in Warsaw rising to 38°C (100°F), authorities have recommended that employers allow their employees to work from home and urged those with air conditioning to make active use of it.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)