In pictures: Heatwaves and extreme weather wreak havoc around the world

As a blistering heatwave approaches, forecasts reveal that major cities across world will experience dangerously high temperatures. This is how the countries seemed as people fought to stay cool. (In picture - Heatwaves distort streetcars, pedestrians and cars on Canal street.

A volunteer from the NGO Madrina Foundation refreshes himself during a food delivery, as residents of Canada Real neighbourhood struggle with scorching temperatures amid first heatwave of the summer, in Madrid, Spain. The NGO Madrina Foundation provide food, and essentials to those in need at the shanty town, especially to families with underage children.

Workers protecting themselves from the heat with a parasol repair the facade of a building in Vilanova i la Geltru, near Barcelona, on June 28, 2023. This "first heatwave of the summer", which began on June 25, pushed the thermometer up to 39-40 degrees in the regions of Madrid, Extremadura (south-west) and western Andalusia (south), and over 44 degrees in the Andalusian provinces of Seville and Cordoba.

A young boy plays in the water fountain at Yards Park in Washington, DC as a heatwave settles in on the area.

A homeless person sits in the shade of an umbrella during a heatwave in Miami, Florida.

People shelter from the sun under umbrellas after visiting the Forbidden City during a heatwave in Beijing. Beijing recorded its third consecutive day of 40 degree Celsius weather, the first time since records began.

A vendor uses a hand fan as he sells toys inside a hospital compound on a hot summer day in Ballia District in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India.

A worker hands out cups of water outside Mercado Juarez during a heat wave in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon state, Mexico. Mexico's power grid is on alert after a record-breaking, nationwide heat wave has strained it for weeks.

Dog Thai, 13, drinks water in a fountain at Barceloneta beach, ahead of first summer heatwave in the centre of Barcelona, Spain.

A homeless person lies on the sidewalk while holding a water bottle in downtown Los Angeles. Excessive heat warnings remain in place in many areas across the US and are expected to last at least through July 2, 2023.

A child plays in the water fountain at Grand Park in Los Angeles, California, on July 2, 2023. After months of unseasonable weather across Southern California, a heatwave has arrived in time for the July 4th holiday, bringing triple digit temperatures.

A general view shows a sunny afternoon as high temperatures continue, in Monterrey, Mexico.

A multi-purpose anti-dust truck sprays water for cooling on a street during hot weather conditions in Handan, in China's northern Hebei province

A man looks at the water in s dock covered in duckweed, also called lemnoideae, by the river Thames, on the Isle of dogs, facing Canary Wharf district, in London, on June 25, 2023 as the temperature goes up. Hot weather causes explosion of duck weed on London waterways.

A woman eats an ice cream during hot weather at Svanemolle beach in Copenhagen, Denmark, June 22, 2023.