Record heat in the UK has transportation halting as trains were canceled and flights stopped at a London airport due to damage caused by the heat.
The Guardian reports that London Luton airport, considered the fifth busiest in the UK, had to stop operations to repair the runway after temperatures topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a statement reported by the outlet, airport officials said the heat caused a “surface defect” which forced a flight from Italy to be diverted. The outlet said bits of the tarmac were melting on the runway.
The Royal Air Force paused all flights to and from Brize Norton, its biggest airbase, after reports that the runway had melted, CNN reported.
The UK Ministry of Defence tweeted that the extreme temperatures were causing aircraft to use alternative airfields, which allowed RAF operations to continue uninterrupted.
Network Rail told passengers that they should consider using the railway “only if absolutely necessary” and that they should carry water and prepare for longer rides due to speed limits being implemented. the Guardian reported.
Trains across Britain were limited to going 90 mph, while an east coast line was ordered to stay at 60 mph. The east coast line could face more infrastructure damage to the wires and track from the heat than other parts of the UK railway, the Guardian reported.
Restrictions are expected to remain in place through Tuesday, officials told The Guardian.
AccuWeather reports that the worst of the heat is centered on Western and Central Europe, with the UK and France expected to get some of the most extreme conditions through Tuesday.
A “red warning” for extreme heat was in effect through Tuesday across England, including London. The warning was the first of its kind ever issued by the U.K’s Met Office, which is its weather service, AccuWeather reported.
The warning means it is the highest level of threat possible for heat, warning residents that it could have “widespread impacts on people and infrastructure.
A Network Rail spokesperson told the Guardian that it is inevitable that long-distance services will be disrupted because breakdowns of equipment are expected. Although the heat may die down one Wednesday, the trains could still be impacted by damage to the infrastructure during the following days.
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