Israel’s extreme heatwave reached a record-breaking peak of 49.9 degrees Celsius in Sodom, near the Dead Sea in mid-July. The heatwave sparked several wildfires throughout the country. More than a hundred cases of heat related symptoms were reported.
The mid-July temperature was the highest ever recorded since Israel was founded in 1948, and the second highest since national weather records began in the 1920s, according to the Israel Meteorological Service.
The meteorological service said extreme heat is a result of global warming, and warned people to expect more record-breaking weather events in the not-so-distant future.
Emergency crews throughout the day treated at least 140 people for heat-related symptoms.
Emergency services also battled several wildfires that broke out in Aderet, central Israel, sparking widespread evacuations.
