COPENHAGEN: Denmark recorded its hottest day ever on Saturday as temperatures reached 37 degrees Celsius, the Danish Meteorological Institute said, amid a severe heatwave sweeping across Europe.
The institute first reported that 36.6C had been recorded north of Odense, making it the warmest day in Denmark since measurements began in 1874. But the record lasted only one hour.
“We’ve got a new heat record for the absolute highest temperature ever measured in Denmark,” meteorologist Rasmus Stoltze Hansen said, confirming that 37.0C had been recorded in Beldringe, north of Odense, and in Odum, north of Aarhus.
The previous Danish record was 36.4C, set in August 1975.
Residents seek relief
In Copenhagen, many people gathered near fountains or jumped into the harbour to cool down.
“I don’t think anyone is built for these kinds of temperatures really,” said Serine Helland, a 28-year-old Norwegian consultant living in Copenhagen. “You’ve just got to stay hydrated and stay in the shade.”
The heat also coincided with the opening of the Roskilde music festival, where organisers set up extra water stations for around 50,000 attendees.
Meteorologists said global warming had increased the likelihood of such extreme temperatures in Denmark.
The record comes as several European countries face exceptional heat, with millions exposed to temperatures above 35C and emergency services under pressure.
