Brussels, June 29 (RHC)-- An unprecedented heat wave is gripping Central Europe this week, with temperatures in France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Germany hitting 100 degrees and above, though experts say humidity will make it feel like 116 degrees and higher.

The highs will surge to 36 degrees higher than average for this time of year, setting records across French cities, where experts say heat waves are on the rise in recent years due to the accelerating climate crisis.

The French national forecasting service has warned that record-breaking heat waves would continue to intensify and double in frequency by 2050 if global emissions are not drastically reduced.

In more climate news, India’s sixth-largest city has nearly run out of water. The four reservoirs that supply the five million residents of Chennai have nearly run dry, forcing many to use well water, which is not considered safe to drink, and water delivered into the city, for those who can afford it.

Twenty-one Indian cities, including the capital, New Delhi, will run out of groundwater by 2020, affecting 100 million people, according to some forecasts. The water shortage is linked to the climate crisis, which has weakened the monsoon season and decreased rainfall in the region over recent years, worsening drought conditions.