Bikinis in Moscow: Northern Europe wilts in heat wave

From Russia's Urals mountains thru western Germany to Scandinavia, high temperatures hovering stubbornly in the mid-30s C has baked northern parts of Europe, which are usually spared the heat of the Mediterranean.

With the maximum in the day touching 34c in Moscow on Saturday, there was the rare sight of women in bikinis sunbathing Thursday in Kolomenskoye park in Moscow.

But it hasn't been all fun and games. The air-conditioning systems on board the high-speed trains of Germany's national rail operator Deutsche Bahn broke dow

n several times. With locked windows, dozens of passengers were afflicted with heat exhaustion after spending hours trapped in temperatures of up to 50 C (122 F).

And, drowning deaths were up in Eastern Europe as people flocked to seas, lakes and rivers in search of a break from the blistering heat. More than 230 people died in the last week alone across Russ

ia, with 21 perishing over two weeks in Latvia, according to officials,

On Friday, Finland, reported a 75-year record of 34.2 C , stocks were quickly running out of fans and air conditioners. The same happened in Germany and Hungary, where the mercury hit 37 C (99 F).

The highs in Europe on Saturday were:

Decimomannu ( Italy); 40c,Mostar ( Bosnia and Herzegovina): 39c

Lamia (Greece): 38c, Rome (Italy): 35c,Budapest (Hungary) :35c,Senkursk (Russia): 35c,Berlin & Liepzig: 35c. While the hottest in Germany was Cottbus at 36c.