BERLIN, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Germany and the Czech Republic have both recorded their highest-ever temperatures on Saturday.
Germany recorded a temperature of 41.5 degrees Celsius in the eastern community of Moeckern-Drewitz, setting a new national record, German Press Agency reported, citing the German Weather Service (DWD).
It was the second consecutive day that the high temperature in Germany had broken its all-time record. On Friday, the DWD registered 41.3 degrees Celsius in the western city of Saarbruecken, surpassing the previous record.
The heat has led to an increase in emergency room visits, most of which involved seniors suffering from heat stroke.
Road infrastructure also came under strain. On Germany's A2 motorway, prolonged heat caused older concrete sections to expand, buckle and break apart, forcing the full closure of two stretches from Thursday. According to the motorway operator, both affected stretches are expected to remain closed until Sunday afternoon, with damaged concrete slabs to be replaced with asphalt.
The neighboring Czech Republic also recorded its highest-ever temperature on Saturday. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI) said on social media platform X that a weather station in Doksany, north of Prague, measured 40.6 degrees Celsius, beating the previous record of 40.4 degrees Celsius set in 2012.
CHMI said temperatures were still rising slightly, meaning the reading may not be the final record.
