UK gets ready for travel disruptions as temps may hit 40 degree Celsius

A matrix sign displays an extreme weather advisory as the UK braces for the upcoming heatwave. [AP]

The British government held an emergency response meeting Saturday to plan for record high temperatures next week after weather authorities issued their first-ever “red” warning for extreme heat.

The alert covers large parts of England on Monday and Tuesday, when temperatures may reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) for the first time, posing a risk of serious illness and even death among healthy people, the U.K. Met Office, the country’s weather service, said Friday.