Europe heatwave: Germany registers highest temperature in its recorded history

New high comes as heatwave sweeps across Europe

Germany has registered a temperature of 40.5C, the hottest in the country's recorded history.

Wednesday's high was confirmed by the country's weather service and comes as a heatwave sweeps across Europe, smashing records around the continent.

The record-breaking 40.5C temperature was recorded in Geilenkirchen, in Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia province.

That beats the previous record of 40.3C registered in the southern state of Bavaria in 2015.

DWD, the country's weather service, said new records could be made on Thursday.

The scorching temperatures have caused one of Germany's nuclear reactors to be turned off due to high temperatures in the Weser river.

PreussenElektra, the nuclear unit of utility E.ON, said in a statement it expected the closure of 1,430 MW Grohnde to last from midday on Friday 26 July to Sunday 28 July, although plans could be revised if the weather changes.

Swathes of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland could also face temperatures exceeding 40C as the second heatwave of the summer bakes the continent, while the UK is expected to exceed its previous record high.

Officials in Belgium said the nation has seen temperatures rise past the 40C mark for the first time since records were kept in 1833.

The Belgian meteorological institute said the new record now stood at 40.2C, recorded close to Liege in eastern Belgium's Angleur on Wednesday.

It had said earlier that the 39.9C seen in Kleine Brogel was the new national record.

Climate scientists have warned this could become the new normal.