While it was mainly Western Europe that suffered from the extreme heat recently, it is now increasingly shifting towards Eastern Europe.

In many countries, temperatures are currently rising well above 35 degrees. Regions stretching from southern Poland through Hungary to the Balkans and Romania are particularly affected.

In some areas there, maximum temperatures are even reaching around or above 40°C. On Monday, a new temperature record was set near Vienna and it is now set to get even hotter.

The ongoing heatwave is taking a heavy toll on both people and the environment. In densely populated cities in particular, nights in many places remain tropical, with temperatures of 20 to 25 °C.

However, the forecast offers some hope: by the weekend, at least the worst of the heat will be over.