Many parts of the globe are experiencing temperatures much higher than average for the time of year.
Many parts of the world are currently experiencing above-average temperatures, with meteorologists saying this is largely a result of global warming.
Extreme heat can be deadly - 30,000 people died in the 2003 European heatwave - but such high temperatures over a prolonged period can also increase the risk of wildfires which have already broken out in parts of California in the US.About one in five Americans - more than 70 million people - are currently subject to warnings about excessive temperatures as high pressure has formed a "heat dome" which traps warm air underneath.
The prolonged heat has led to power consumption records being broken as Indians turn up fans and air conditioning, leading to power cuts in Delhi on Monday. Water supplies have also been affected in the city. Summers in India are usually hot and humid, but this year the heat has been exceptionally harsh with longer, more intense and frequent heatwaves.According to reports by the AFP news agency, which the BBC has not confirmed, more than 1,000 people have died while undertaking the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
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