In the Balkans, temperatures have risen to 40 degrees Celsius. Unusually high temperatures are expected for this period, including over the weekend.

Meanwhile, in other parts of Europe and the United States, excessive heat has been followed by severe storms and floods.

A sudden storm hit several localities in the Moravia region of the Czech Republic after several scorching days. A 50-year-old woman lost her life, and 11,000 households were left without electricity. Many cables were severed by trees snapped by the storm.

Local resident: "Suddenly, it started lightning and thundering, and we realized there was a fallen tree next to us".

The French are also expecting new floods after recent storms. Authorities have issued a red alert in two departments in the west of the country. Another 12 regions are under an orange alert for bad weather.

Meanwhile, it is a heatwave in the Balkans. In Belgrade, locals are cooling off as best they can.

Dragica Vukadinovic Mesarovic, emergency services doctor: "We are expecting extremely high temperatures for the weekend, between 39 and 40 degrees, and the UV radiation index has increased. Therefore, the standard recommendation for young children and the elderly, as well as for everyone else, is to avoid exposure outdoors without sunscreen and umbrellas between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Water bottles are mandatory".

In the Bosnian city of Mostar, temperatures have reached 40 degrees Celsius, and locals have tried to cool off in a stream. The heatwave persists even at night, although people were expecting a refreshing coolness.

Alija Hajdarevic, local resident: "Hot nights are the hardest when temperatures stay at 37 or 38 degrees Celsius, which truly characterizes difficult days. When it is hot during the day, all you can do is stay out of the sun".

Other cities in the Balkans, including the Kosovan capital Pristina, have recorded temperatures well above the usual average for this time of year.

Hysen Cervadiku, local resident: "These days, Pristina is burning, the asphalt is melting. For residents, staying in the park is preferable as it offers relief for those with cardiovascular or kidney issues".

According to meteorologists, the entire Balkan region will experience scorching days in the coming period.

Mendim Rugova, meteorologist: "We will most likely witness the hottest summer on record and, additionally, there will be fewer precipitation events, not as abundant as last year. This could worsen drought conditions, which can also cause wildfires in the region".

Researchers say global warming is becoming more pronounced, and extreme weather events remain unpredictable.

Friederike Otto, climate researcher at Imperial College London: "The climate changes of the past 20 years are very severe. From my point of view, they are more striking than if we compare them with the pre-industrial era. It feels like we are living on another planet. And the impact is dramatic. Society and the human body are not accustomed to these heatwaves, even though they are no longer rare".

The World Meteorological Organization estimates that there is nearly a 50% chance that global average temperatures in the 2024-2028 period will exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit compared to the pre-industrial period, agreed upon in the Paris Agreement of 2015.