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Europe heatwave: All-time temperature could be broken

Europe is in the middle of a heatwave, and forecasters say the all-time temperature record could be broken in the coming days.

The current European record is 48C (118.4F), set in Athens in July 1977.

Southern Spain and Portugal are both forecast to hit 47C (116.6F) on Friday and Saturday.

Pictures show shrunken lakes and dry riverbeds, along with people cooling off with water fountains and beach umbrellas, including in the Spanish town of Benidorm, below.

Reuters People cool off at the beach during the heatwave in the southeastern coastal town of BenidormReuters

Spain's national weather service has put a warning in place until at least Sunday, saying the heatwave will be "especially intense and lasting in the southwest".

Reuters People cool off at the beach during the heatwave in the southeastern coastal town of BenidormReuters

Here a woman cools off in a fountain in the city of Seville.

AFP A woman refreshes herself in a fountain at Plaza de Espana, on a hot summer day in SevillaAFP

The Trocadero Fountain in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris brought welcome relief for Parisians and visitors.

AFP People cool themselves at the Trocadero Fountain in front of The Eiffel Tower in ParisAFP

People also appreciated public fountains in Montpellier, France.

AFP A woman and child cool down at a fountain in MontpellierAFP

Temperatures in Montpellier were forecast to reach 33C (91.4F), not unusual for the time of the year.

AFP Tourists refresh their feet in a pool during a heatwave in MontpellierAFP

Swimmers were finding a reprieve from the heat by leaping into the Mediterranean Sea in Nice, southeastern France.

AFP Young men leap off rocks into the Meditteranean Sea at Nice, south-eastern FranceAFP

Others enjoyed the view from the safety of sunhats.

AFP People sit on a bench while people parasail on the beach in Nice, on the French RivieraAFP

Germany is experiencing dry conditions, resulting in a partially dried Rhine riverbed in Düsseldorf.

Reuters A family walks next to a puddle in the partially dried riverbed of Rhine, in front of the skyline of Dusseldorf, GermanyReuters

Dry and cracked sections of the river Danube were to be found in Mariaposching, southern Germany.

Getty Images The partly dried out bed of the river Danube is pictured in Mariaposching, southern GermanyGetty Images

An aerial photo in Beckum, Germany, showed water buffalo walking from a water pool onto parched earth.

AFP Aerial photograph showing a group of water buffalo walking from a water pool onto parched earth at Beckum, GermanyAFP

In the Polish capital Warsaw, people and their pets used public sprinklers to keep cool.

Getty Images People cool themselves with sprinklers during the heat wave in WarsawGetty Images
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Getty Images People cool themselves with sprinklers during the heat wave in WarsawGetty Images

Warsaw's city guards gave away water to citizens.

Getty Images The city guard in Warsaw gives water to citizens.Getty Images

At the Colosseum in central Rome, Italy, visitors used fans and parasols to escape the sun and heat as temperatures approached 40C (104F).

Getty Images A tourist uses a fan during a hot Summer day in front of the Ancient Colosseum in central RomeGetty Images

Italy has issued red alerts across its centre and north, which includes the tourist hotspots of Rome, Florence and Venice.

Getty Images A man holds an umbrella to protect himself from the sun during a ho Summer day in front of the Ancient Colosseum in central RomeGetty Images

Members of the Italian Civil Protection authority distributed water bottles.

Getty Images Members of the Italian Civil Protection (Protezione Civile) distribute water bottles to people in front of the Ancient Colosseum, in central RomeGetty Images

And vending machines serving water in Rome saw heavy use, as did the city's fountains.

Getty Images A nun takes water from a kiosk designed in the style of the hexagonal newspaper stands in front of the Ancient Colosseum, in central RomeGetty Images
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AFP A woman cools herself in a fountain near the Ara Pacis monument, in central RomeAFP

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