Brize Norton, the largest air force base in the United Kingdom had to halt flights from the base as the prevailing heat wave in the country melted the runway. Luton Airport in London was also forced to suspend flights as the unusually high temperatures for the country caused damage to the runway.
As reported by Sky News, the Royal Air Force halted flights from Brize Norton, and had to divert flights to other bases to keep its operation running amidst safety concerns. Airport traffic isn’t the only one suffering the burnt of the high temperatures, as trains are also running slow, with some rail services even being cancelled.
In a statement shared by UK’s Ministry of Defense on Twitter, the Royal Air Force stated that there has been no impact on RAF’s operations as they are using alternative airfields as part of a long-established plan.
.@RoyalAirForce statement on flights at RAF Brize Norton:
— Ministry of Defence Press Office (@DefenceHQPress) July 18, 2022
"During this period of extreme temperature flight safety remains the RAF’s top priority, so aircraft are using alternative airfields in line with a long-established plan. This means there is no impact on RAF operations."
UK Health Security Agency has declared a state of emergency as the temperatures reached 38 degrees celsius. For the first time ever, the temperature in the UK is predicted to touch 40 degrees celsius during the ongoing heat wave. The previous record temperature recorded in the country was 38.7 degrees celsius in Cambridge in 2019.
The unprecedented heat wave is likely to continue on Tuesday as the Metrological Office has issued a red extreme heat warning for most of the country.
