WELLINGTON – On Tuesday, parts of Australia endured a blistering heat wave, with temperatures soaring to nearly 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), setting new records for the region.

In Victoria state, the rural towns of Hopetoun and Walpeup experienced unprecedented highs of 48.9 C (120 F). If these preliminary figures are confirmed, they would surpass previous records from 2009, a year marked by the tragic Black Saturday bushfires that claimed 173 lives.

As of now, there have been no reports of casualties from this heat wave. However, Victoria’s authorities remain vigilant, urging residents to stay safe as three forest fires continue to rage uncontrollably.

Melbourne, Victoria’s largest city, also neared its historical temperature peaks. The heat was particularly palpable at Melbourne Park, where the Australian Open tennis tournament saw significantly reduced crowds as temperatures soared.

In response, tournament organizers activated extreme heat measures, closing retractable roofs over the main arenas and delaying matches on outdoor courts. During the quarterfinals between Aryna Sabalenka and Iva Jovic, players resorted to using ice packs and portable fans to cope with the oppressive conditions.

Photographers shooting the match were supplied with cushions by organizers to avoid heat-related injuries when they sat down and covered their cameras with towels to prevent the devices malfunctioning in the heat or burning their hands. Fans lined up to stand in front of giant misting fans or sought shelter in air-conditioned areas of the venue.

Crowds at the event, which has registered record-breaking turnout days so far, dropped from 50,000 from Monday’s daytime session to 21,000 on Tuesday as people heeded health warnings from officials and stayed home.

Temperatures were expected to drop Wednesday, although the heat wave was due to linger until the weekend. The heat wave followed another earlier this month amid one of Australia’s hottest ever summers.

On Monday, parts of New South Wales and South Australia states hit record temperatures, some exceeding records set during a destructive summer of forest fires in 2019.