# Britain counts cost of historic heatwave as 13 die
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-07-20
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Record-breaking hot weather causes devastation in UK
Meta Description: At least 13 people have died in Britain due to hot weather, sparking fires and causing damages. Urgent action needed to address climate change.
URL: https://financedigest.com/britain-counts-cost-of-historic-heatwave-as-13-diehtml

![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-07-20t075127z1lynxmpei6j0airtroptp4europe-weather-britain-1736815557717-compressed.jpg)

By Kate Holton and William James

LONDON (Reuters) -At least 13 people have died in Britain while swimming during a spell of record-breaking hot weather that sparked wildfires, damaged train tracks and triggered warnings that efforts to tackle climate change needed to be stepped up.

The London Fire Brigade endured its busiest day since World War Two on Tuesday when temperatures topped 40C (104 Fahrenheit) for the first time, igniting fires that destroyed dozens of properties in the capital and torched tinderbox-dry grassland at the sides of railway tracks and roads.

We’ve got nothing, [everything’s gone,” Timothy Stock](https://www.financedigest.com/looks-arent-everything-british-supermarkets-to-stock-misshapen-fruit-amid-drought.html "Looks aren’t everything – British supermarkets to stock misshapen fruit amid drought"), a resident who lost his home to fire in the village of Wennington, east of London, told the BBC.

Thirteen people lost their lives after “getting into difficulty in rivers, reservoirs and lakes while swimming in recent [days — seven of them teenage boys,” British minister](https://www.financedigest.com/russian-missiles-hit-30-of-ukraines-energy-infrastructure-in-two-days-minister.html "Russian missiles hit 30% of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in two days – minister") Kit Malthouse told parliament on Wednesday.

At least 41 [properties were destroyed in London](https://www.financedigest.com/immediate-lift-of-oxford-property-prices-to-result-from-new-direct-high-speed-rail-connection-with-london.html "“Immediate lift” of Oxford property prices to result from new direct high speed rail connection with London") and more than a dozen elsewhere in Britain, Malthouse said.

Many trains heading from [London to northern](https://www.financedigest.com/4-for-the-price-of-1-what-you-can-buy-in-the-uks-top-northern-cities-for-the-price-of-a-london-pad.html "4 for the price of 1: What you can buy in the UK’s top northern cities for the price of a London pad") England were delayed or cancelled on Wednesday after the heat from fires buckled heavy train tracks, while signalling equipment and overhead lines were also damaged.

[Britain registered a new record](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-on-course-for-hottest-day-on-record.html "Britain on course for hottest day on record") temperature of 40.3C (104.5F) in central England on Tuesday, while 34 sites surpassed the previous high of 38.7C (101.7F) recorded in 2019.

Forecasters predicted a much cooler day on Wednesday, with outbreaks of rain later.

A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE?

Britain’s government has defended its record on the environment, touting its decision to move to a net zero status, but ministers have admitted it will take [years to upgrade](https://www.financedigest.com/an-apple-a-year-half-of-iphone-users-will-upgrade-to-the-iphone-7.html "AN APPLE A YEAR: HALF OF IPHONE USERS WILL UPGRADE TO THE IPHONE 7") its infrastructure to cope with the heat.

The sad reality is this is what the [future for London](https://www.financedigest.com/food-of-the-future-london-air-raid-shelter-to-underground-farm.html "Food of the future: London air raid shelter to underground farm") and the UK is likely to look like if we don’t take strong action now on the climate crisis,” said London Mayor Sadiq Khan, a member of the opposition Labour Party.

The Met Office’s Chief of Science and Technology Stephen Belcher said that unless greenhouse gas emissions were reduced, [Britain could see similar heatwaves every three years](https://www.financedigest.com/2043-the-year-britain-will-turn-cashless.html "2043: The year Britain will turn cashless").

At one point on Monday, two airport runways were forced to close due to damage to the surface. Power companies faced outages as the heat scorched their equipment, many schools closed early and zoos struggled to keep pets cool.

This is a reminder today, I think, of the importance of tackling [climate change](https://www.financedigest.com/deloitte-research-reveals-inaction-on-climate-change-could-cost-the-worlds-economy-us178-trillion-by-2070.html "Deloitte research reveals inaction on climate change could cost the world’s economy US8 trillion by 2070") because this is a remarkable unprecedented event,” Treasury Minister Simon Clarke said.

Khan praised the work of the fire brigade after it received 2,600 calls for help, compared with a normal daily average of 350. The London Ambulance Service received 400 [calls an hour from people struggling](https://www.financedigest.com/struggling-british-pig-industry-calls-for-tesco-to-step-up.html "Struggling British pig industry calls for Tesco to step-up") with heat exposure, breathing difficulties, dizziness and fainting.

“The problem is we’ve not had rain in the entire month of July in London,” Khan told BBC Radio. The grass is like hay, which means it’s easier to catch [fire](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-smoldering-iran-nuclear-crisis-risks-catching-fire.html "Analysis-Smoldering Iran nuclear crisis risks catching fire") and once it catches fire it spreads incredibly fast.

(Reporting by [Kate Holton and William](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-royals-in-u-s-spotlight-as-william-and-kate-visit.html "UK royals in U.S. spotlight as William and Kate visit") James; Additional reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; editing by John Stonestreet and Mark Heinrich)


---
This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more.
---