The residents of southern Spain are facing the first heatwave of this summer, since in Seville and Cordoba the mercury reached 44 degrees Celsius today.

In recent years, heatwaves have become more frequent in June, due to global warming that scientists attribute largely to the human factor.

The representative of the Spanish meteorological service AEMET, Ruben del Campo, explains that since 2011, six heatwaves have been recorded during the month of June, compared to only five for the same month in the previous 35 years.

The high temperatures for the season are expected to persist until Wednesday and affect beyond Andalusia, Madrid, Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha.

“It’s terribly hot. The children came here to cool off since there was no way they could stay at home,” explained 27-year-old Elvira Martinez, who was standing next to a fountain on the banks of the Mantanares River.

The first quarter of 2023 was the driest since 1961 (when data began to be recorded), according to the Spanish meteorological service. A wave of unusually high temperatures followed in late April, with the mercury climbing to 38.8 degrees Celsius, reminiscent of a heatwave in the heart of summer.