A heatwave has killed at least 35 people in parts of south-east Europe and hit wildlife and crops, from the humble toad in Greek lagoons to grain across the region, while fruit is ripening weeks early in Italy.
Greece is experiencing its worst heatwave in 110 years that has already killed eight people, with temperatures reaching 46 Celsius (114.8 Fahrenheit) during five days of sweltering weather that showed no signs on Wednesday of letting up.
Tourists and locals fled fires sweeping the island of Poros, about two hours from Piraeus port near Athens, as fire-fighters, planes and a helicopter battled to control the flames.
In southern Italy, after the hottest spring in nearly two centuries, this year's harvest of grapes and other fruit and vegetables is expected to be as much as a month earlier than usual, at the beginning of August. In Sicily, fires have spread rapidly in the intense heat in the last few days, have already destroyed thousands of hectares of grain and wheat crops.
In Turkey, two boys trying to cool down in a small lake in Sakarya province near Istanbul drowned on Wednesday, the private NTV television channel said. Two farmers in the west and north also died from causes linked to the heat, it said.
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