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Historic heatwave hits Australia

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AUSTRALIA HAS BEEN EXPERIENCEING A HISTORIC HEATWAVE. TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE OF SYDNEY REACHED 46 DEGREES CELSIUS. IF THAT DOESN’T SOUND WILD, IT’S BECAUSE AUSTRALIA USES A DIFFERENT TEMPERATURE SCALE. THEY USE CELSIUS WHILE WE USE FAHRENHEIT. 40 DEGREES CELSIUS IS ABOUT 104 DEGREES FARENHEIT. REPORTER SAMANTHA BRETT HAS OUR STORY.

AS THE SUN ROSE IN PENRITH RESIDENTS GOT SET TO SWELTER AND THEY DID MORE THEN THE SUBURB EVER HAS BEFORE THE MERCURY HAD PUSHED PAST 86F (30C) DEGREES BY 9AM BY 11 IT HAD SOUGHT PAST 104F (40C). IT EVENTUALLY PEAKED AT 116F (47.3C) JUST BEFORE 3:30.

(GIRL 1) "IT'S EXTREMELY HOT."

(GIRL 2) "IT'S HOT OUTSIDE BUT IN THE WATER IT'S REALLY COOL."

THE PENRITH MILESTONE, THE HOTTEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED CITYWIDE IN 79 YEARS. SOME BRAVED THE SEARING HEAT TO GET IN A SPOT OF EXERCISE EITHER IN THE POOL OR FOR THE VERY BRAVE ON THE PAVEMENT. OTHERS CHOSE AN EARLY DIP BEFORE SPENDING THE DAY INDOORS INDULGING WHILE PENRITH WAS BREAKING ITS ALL TIME RECORD. THE REST OF SYDNEY ALSO SWELTERED TEMPERATURES REACHED FORTY SIX POINT THREE IN RICHMOND. FORTY FIVE POINT TWO AT CAMDEN AND BANKSTOWN FORTY FOUR POINT NINE AT CANTERBURY FORTY THREE POINT SEVEN AT THE AIRPORT AND FORTY THREE POINT FOUR. AT OBSERVATORY HILL THE HOTTEST CITY DAY IN FIVE YEARS. THE OPPRESSIVE HEAT HAD AUTHORITIES ON HIGH ALERT MISSION AUSTRALIA VOLUNTEERS SPENT THE MORNING DISTRIBUTING WATER AND SUNSCREEN TO SYDNEY'S HOMELESS.

(PATRICK CRAWFORD) A BOTTLE OF WATER, $2.50 MIGHT BE EASIER FOR YOU AND I TO ACCESS BUT FOR SOME PEOPLE THEY DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT. "IT'S DANGEROUS AT 108F (42-43C) DEGREES IN THE SUN.”==

(BEN SCALLEY) "BUT WE'VE SEEN EXTREME HEAT WAVES. IT'S A LOT MORE PEOPLE COMING IN TO EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS CALLING AMBULANCES AND ALSO UNFORTUNATELY MORTALITY."

VETS WERE ALSO KEPT BUSY ENSURING ANIMALS WERE HAPPY AND SAFE AGAIN. WARNING PET OWNERS NOT TO LEAVE DOGS IN CARS.

(SAMANTHA BRETT) "THE HEATWAVE IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO TOMORROW. THE FORECAST TEMPERATURE FOR THE WEST. 104F (40C) DEGREES ON MONDAY 104F (40C) DEGREES ON TUESDAY AS WELL. AND WE AREN'T EXPECTING ANY REPRIEVE UNTIL LATE TUESDAY NIGHT. IN THE MEANTIME THERE'S PLENTY OF PLACES TO COOL OFF."