Turkey records hottest July in 55 Years

(AFP): Turkey recorded its hottest July in 55 years, the environment ministry said Saturday.

Temperatures recorded in 66 of the country's 220 weather stations showed an average rise of 1.9 degrees over the preceding years, the ministry said on X.

The highest-ever recorded temperature of 50.5 C was also set near the end of July in Silopi, southeast Turkey.

Silopi, a city in the Sirnak province, is located around 10 kilometres from the Iraq and Syrian borders.

It shattered the previous national high of 49.5 C recorded in August 2023 in the western province of Eskisehir.

Turkey has faced weeks of scorching heat along with several wildfires. Fourteen people lost their lives battling blazes last month in the western part of the country. Hundreds of people were evacuated on Friday in the northwest province of Canakkale, where the busy Dardanelles Strait was closed to maritime traffic due to two raging fires.