Heat wave scorches Spain as temperatures exceed 40C across peninsula

Madrid, Aug 23 (EFE).- Spain remained in the grips of an intense heat wave on Wednesday that has seen temperatures in several parts of the country exceed 40 degrees Celsius.
The Basque Country in the north was particularly at risk of extreme temperatures, with 42C forecast.
Those conditions are expected to spread to the northeast of Spain on Thursday, the country’s meteorological agency (Aemet) said.
In Lleida, Catalonia, temperatures as high as 42C were recorded on Wednesday
Aemet warned of minimum temperatures of 22-23C in northern areas of Spain.
Thirteen regions across Spain, from Andalusia in the south to Galicia and Cantabria in the north, were under an orange alert due to the sweltering heat on Wednesday.
The southeastern region of Murcia was the only one in Spain that was not under alert, according to Aemet.
The heat wave, the fourth to hit Spain this summer, led to several records being broken on Tuesday for highest maximum and highest minimum temperatures for the month of August. EFE
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