As temperatures across southern Europe soar to record breaking highs, Turkey has hit a historic new peak 50.5°C the highest ever recorded in the country history. Registered in the southeastern town of Silopi, near the borders of Iraq and Syria, the extreme heat has turned routine life into a battle for survival.
Turkey’s Environment Ministry confirmed the record on Saturday, noting that 132 weather stations across the country logged record-high temperatures for the month of July. The previous national record of 49.5°C was set in August 2023.
The brutal heatwave has triggered a series of devastating wildfires across Turkey, with high winds and dry conditions fuelling flames in provinces from Antalya to Eskisehir. In Eskisehir alone, 13 forest workers and rescuers died while battling a fast-moving blaze. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called the situation a “truly great disaster,” and mobilized 25,000 personnel, 27 planes, 105 helicopters, and over 6,000 vehicles to contain the flames.
In Antalya, a popular Mediterranean resort city, homes were evacuated as fires reached the city center. At 46.1°C, the city recorded its hottest July temperature since 1930. Wildfires have also ravaged northern provinces like Karabük and Sakarya, forcing entire villages to evacuate.
Hospitals across Turkey have reported spikes in cases of dehydration, heatstroke, and foodborne illnesses. With temperatures up to 12°C above seasonal norms, officials are urging the public to stay indoors and avoid strenuous activity.
The heatwave has not spared neighboring countries either. Greece is battling multiple blazes around Athens, on the Peloponnese peninsula, and islands like Crete and Euboea. Authorities have closed the Acropolis during peak heat hours, and tourists have been collapsing from heat exhaustion. “There is no shade, there is no wind,” said a local tour guide describing the conditions in Athens.
In Cyprus, fires have destroyed over 120 square kilometers of forested land, forcing hundreds into shelters. Firefighting teams from Jordan, Israel, and Spain have joined efforts to battle the flames. Italy, Albania, and North Macedonia have also recorded temperatures exceeding 40°C, prompting health warnings, work hour restrictions, and widespread public distress.
From overflowing hospitals to blackened hillsides and shuttered tourist sites, the heatwave gripping the Mediterranean has laid bare the mounting toll of climate extremes and summer is far from over.