Authorities in Greece say the longest heat wave ever recorded in the country has killed at least 10 people in the past week, including two firefighters trapped early Thursday north of Athens.
Two other men escaped the inferno that continued to lay waste to heavily-forested areas in the center of the country. Authorities told Reuters that firefighters already hampered by strong northerly winds also are encountering exploding World War II ordnance in forests north of the capital.
Elsewhere in southeastern Europe, Romanian officials say 32 people have died since June 19 from the scorching heat, including two women who died of heart attacks in the country's northeast.
Violent storms hit much of the country Wednesday, bringing some relief from the 45 degree Celsius temperatures in and near Bucharest Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Britain is bracing for more torrential rain in the coming days, after flooding in northern England and Wales killed four people and inundated an estimated 3,000 homes.
A slow-moving front of heavy rain was expected to cross the country later this week.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
