San Francisco Frontiers - Latest developments on Europe's heatwave

- Rare UK top heat warning -

The UK's meteorological office issued the highest level of heat warning for parts of central and southern England for Wednesday and Thursday as Britain braced for a heatwave hitting Europe.

"An exceptional spell of hot and humid weather is expected across this region" covering London, Birmingham, Bath and other areas of England, the Met Office said in Monday's statement, a month after the UK broke its May temperature record.

In some places, temperatures in the shade could rise to as high as 40C, it said.

- 13 dead in France -

Thirteen people drowned across France at the weekend, the civil defence said, as the country braced for a peak of 43C in the southwest with half the country on red alert for unhealthy heat.

The authorities urged people not to swim unsupervised, as forecasters warned the extreme weather episode could end up being as serious as a 2003 heatwave that claimed the lives of nearly 15,000 people nationwide.

Some 845 schools were shut on Monday because of the heat, with another 1,800 set to allow students to leave earlier than usual.

- World Cup screening cancelled -

Spain entered on Monday the second day of a heatwave which dragged the usually cooler Basque country on the border with France into a heat spiral where temperatures could exceed 40C, prompting a red weather warning and the authorities urging people to keep their windows closed.

Spain's weather service Aemet warned of "extremely high" temperatures for the season, day and night, until Wednesday, with temperatures forecast to hit 44C in some areas.

- Portugal 'close' highs -

Areas in central and northern Portugal faced potential temperatures "close to previously recorded highs", while temperatures would be above average but "relatively typical" elsewhere, the IPMA weather agency said.

Three northern inland districts were placed on orange alert until Tuesday, said Meteo Portugal, which warned that the winds would worsen the "thermal discomfort".

- Belgium records feared -

Temperatures in Belgium are expected to be "the hottest ever recorded" in the coming week, warned David Dehenauw, head of forecasting at the IRM meteorological institute.

The French and Belgian authorities also cancelled or cut back rail services because of fears of breakdowns causing logjams and delays.

Scientists have shown that recurring heatwaves are a clear marker of global warming, and warn they are set to become more frequent, longer and more intense.

burs-sbk/yad

H.Davis--SFF