Extreme and chaotic weather continues to ravage Europe, with huge rainfall in parts of the continent and blazing heat in others.
Denmark has experienced its wettest 12 months in a row on record, causing persistent damp and mould in people’s homes.
The constant rain means houses don’t have a chance to dry before they become drenched again.
“We’ve had 12 months with unimaginable amounts of rain. Everything is wet, including the construction of our houses that haven’t had enough time to dry,” said Tue Patursson, expert in indoor climate and building engineering.
Helene Ibsen, who is in charge of housing at Danish insurance company Topdanmark says “the incidents vary from sewer water flooding in the basement to water getting through the roof.”
According to local media, the neighbourhoods of Vejle and Vejen in southeastern Jutland exceeded the amount of rainfall expected in a year within the first seven months.
In February, parts of Vejle flooded after two days of heavy rainfall overwhelmed the town’s drainage system.
Meanwhile in Spain, extreme temperature alerts were issued throughout July as two intense heat waves scorched the country.
A period of “thermal relief” is expected to begin this Thursday, but it is likely to remain brief as weather models predict a third heatwave is on its way with temperatures rising above 40 degrees in some areas.
Spain’s first heat wave of the summer lasted three days and was shortly followed by another one.
Authorities and experts agree that climate change is behind the rise in temperatures that is also feeding prolonged droughts and wildfires in the Mediterranean and other parts of the world.
Euronews
