Sawt Falasteen - Portugal braces for high temperatures in new heatwave

The country's IPMA weather agency said the Lisbon and Setubal regions on the coast will be on red alert for high temperatures on Thursday.

That will be extended on Friday to the Leiria and Coimbra areas further north, where temperatures could hit 44C in places.

An orange alert was imposed on Wednesday for four inland regions, including Evora, where 41C could be reached, the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) said.

"Usually we get temperatures like this in August; this year they're happening earlier," said Jose Bonifacio, a 31-year-old busker in a square in downtown Evora.

The cobbled alleyways of this historic city emptied in the afternoon heat, while tourists took refuge in cafes or on shaded terraces, sometimes cooled by fans.

"The afternoon is very tough, but those who work have to hold out," said Carlos Guedes, a 53-year-old construction worker from the north of the country who said he is "not used to such intense heat".

The second-highest warning will be extended to all regions not on red alert, IRMA said.

"During this period of very hot weather, the most notable element is its duration, which should be for at least a week," it said in a statement late Tuesday.

Coastal regions will be hotter due to a lack of sea breeze, while nighttime temperatures may not fall below 24-28C for several nights, it added.

The Portuguese government has called on the population to follow the recommendations of the health authorities and asked municipalities to identify premises that can shelter vulnerable people identified by health services.

These could be public buildings or churches as well as private premises such as shopping centres and hotels, Secretary of State for Health Ana Povo told a press conference on Wednesday.

The recent heatwave was the most severe recorded in Europe, and would have been "virtually impossible" in June without climate change, the World Weather Attribution group of scientists said.

All-time temperature records have been broken in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, as well as for the month of June in the UK and in Switzerland.

France faced record-breaking average temperatures, with the country experiencing its highest-ever nighttime temperatures.

C.AbuSway--SF-PST