In Türkiye, 50.5°C was measured on Friday in the southeast of the country, a temperature never reached before.

A temperature of 50.5°C was recorded in southeastern Turkey on Friday, July 25, a record high for the country, authorities announced Saturday. "According to data from our General Directorate of Meteorology, a temperature record was broken, with 50.5°C in Silopi (...) on July 25," the Turkish Ministry of the Environment wrote on X.

According to the authorities, who did not specify the date of the country's weather records, 132 weather stations across the country recorded record temperatures for July on Friday.

The town of Silopi is located in Sirnak province, less than 10 kilometers (km) from the Iraqi and Syrian borders. The previous national record, 49.5°C, was recorded in August 2023 in the western province of Eskisehir.

Turkey, gripped by a heatwave, is facing wildfires in several regions. One of them, in the northern province of Karabük, has eluded firefighters for four days, forcing residents of several villages to flee. On Wednesday, ten forestry workers and volunteer rescuers died fighting a violent forest fire in the province of Eskisehir.

The heatwave, which is affecting a large part of the country and is expected to continue in the coming days, is causing fears of water shortages in some places: the seaside resort of Cesme, located near Izmir (west), has announced that it will deprive residents and tourists of tap water from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. starting Saturday evening.

According to a study cited in a UN report published in early July, 88% of Turkey's territory is at high risk of desertification. Neighboring Greece is experiencing the same heatwave and is also the victim of numerous fires.