UK registers temperature of 40 C, highest in its history

LONDON, July 19 (KUNA) -- London's Heathrow Airport reported a temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius, the highest in the country's history, Britain's weather service said Tuesday.
However, the temperature is expected to climb up to 41 C later, it added.
The alert covers large parts of England on Tuesday, when temperatures may reach 40 degrees for the first time, posing a risk of serious illness and even death among healthy people, the UK Met Office, the country's weather service said.
"Railway infrastructure, much of which was built from the Victorian times, just wasn't built to withstand this type of temperature," Transport minister Grant Shapps said.
Earlier, the UK declared a national emergency as it braces for a heatwave after National Severe Weather Warning Service issued its first "red warning". (end) kd.mah