Wildfires break out near Syria’s Latakia as heatwave grips Mediterranean

Wildfires broke out near Latakia in Syria on Tuesday, as high temperatures and parched ground sparked wildfires near the port city.

Large areas of the Mediterranean sweltered under an intense summer heatwave on Tuesday and firefighters battled to put out blazes across the region.

Extreme weather throughout July has caused havoc across the planet, with record temperatures in China, the US and southern Europe sparking forest fires, water shortages and a rise in heat-related hospital admissions.