'It's getting worse' - heatwave brings highs of over 40ºC in parts of Catalonia

The second heat wave of the summer has brought high temperatures of over 40ºC to parts of Catalonia.

Feeling the heat the most has been the western Ponent region, l'Empordà in the north, and inland of Terres de l'Ebre in the south.

At 6.00 pm, highs such as 41.9ºC in Vinebre (Ribera d'Ebre) and 41ºC in Tremp stand out. In Seròs, thermometers hit 40.9ºC, while in Torroja del Priorat they peaked at 40.8ºC and 40.7ºC in the Riba-roja reservoir.

These are data from the automatic stations of the Meteorological Service of Catalonia.

Civil Protection is keeping the alert for intense heat active in the western and southern half of Catalonia until the middle of the week.

The peak of the heat is expected on Monday, with maximums that could exceed 41ºC in Ponent and inland Terres l'Ebre.

"It's getting worse"

For some, like Lleida resident Maria Dolores, the heat is "getting worse."

Although people moved through the streets like normal on Sunday, shade and air-conditioned spaces were always preferred.

Fans, air conditioning, the swimming pools, and nights in the fresh air are the most valued measures to alleviate the effects of high temperatures.

The local Lleida government maintains phase 2 of the operational plan to prevent the effects of the heat in effect, opening 60 climate shelters for locals to make use of.

Guadalupe, a resident of Caldes de Montbui, in the county of Vallès Oriental, inland of Barcelona, visited her mother in Lleida and felt that the heat was more noticeable in the west. "It is at least 5 degrees higher and it is hotter at night," she said.

Rosa said she puts the fan "on maximum" throughout the day to reduce the effects of the heat, "and when I go out into the street I sit in the shade."