MELBOURNE (Xinhua): The all-time temperature record in the southeast Australian state of Victoria was broken on Tuesday amid a severe heatwave.
The small town of Walpeup, 400 km northwest of Melbourne, and the airport in the nearby town of Hopetoun each recorded maximum temperatures of 48.9 degrees Celsius on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).
It surpasses Victoria's previous highest recorded temperature of 48.8 degrees Celsius recorded at the Hopetoun Airport in February 2009.
The new record came as Victoria was hit by its most severe heatwave since 2009 on Tuesday, with temperatures widely exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
A maximum temperature of 44.1 degrees Celsius was recorded at Melbourne Airport shortly after 3:30 p.m. local time.
Local authorities urged people across the state to stay hydrated and take steps to protect themselves from the severe heat, which can cause potentially fatal health problems such as heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and trigger events like heart attacks or stroke.
An evacuation order was issued on Monday for over 1,100 properties in Carlisle River and surrounding towns due to the threat posed by the extreme weather.
Temperatures were forecast to drop significantly in Melbourne and southern Victoria on Tuesday night, but the BoM has warned that maximum temperatures will remain above 40 degrees Celsius in the state's north for several days. - Xinhua
