Punishing heat waves gripped three continents on Tuesday, breaking records in cities around the Northern Hemisphere less than two weeks after the Earth recorded what scientists said were likely its hottest days in modern history.
Firefighters in Greece scrambled to put out wildfires, as parched conditions raised the risk of more blazes throughout Europe.
Beijing logged another day of 95-degree heat, and people in Hangzhou, another Chinese city, compared the choking conditions to a sauna.
From the Middle East to the American Southwest, delivery drivers, airport workers and construction crews labored under blistering skies.
John Kerry, the U.S. special envoy for climate change, sought to coordinate some of the global response with the Chinese premier in Beijing, as a heat wave clutched a huge swath of China.
Persons:
John Kerry
Organizations:
Firefighters, U.S
Locations:
Greece, Europe, Beijing, Hangzhou, American, China