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500 die in heatwave in Hungary

Heatwave - 500 die in Hungary
Heatwave - 500 die in Hungary

Up to 500 people have died in Hungary as a heatwave grips central and southeast Europe.

Temperatures have reached as high as 41.9C in parts of the country.

Meanwhile, firefighters, soldiers and volunteers have battled wildfires across southeastern Europe.

In southern Italy, thousands of tourists were trapped on beaches in the Puglia region as a fast-moving bush fire forced people from campsites and hotels. At least two people have died there.

Serbia battled 50 forest fires on what meteorologists predicted would be the hottest day of the year, with the temperature topping 43C.

In Romania, the death toll from the heatwave has reached 30, and 19,000 people have been admitted to hospitals in the region's second devastating hot spell this year.

Forests in Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Greece have been ravaged by flames this week, blamed on record-high temperatures after the dry winter.

In Macedonia temperatures hit an all-time record of 45C and many parts of the country remain without power.

In Bosnia, the town of Citluk, the Adriatic port of Neum and the mountain town of Visegrad declared states of emergency.

While in Serbia, 18 fires burned in Kosovo province, and police, forestry officials and soldiers from the resident NATO-led peacekeeping force battled flames.