Deadly storm leaves half a million without power in Poland, Baltics

More than half a million people are without power across Poland and the Baltic states after a deadly storm swept through the area, killing two people.

Rail and other public transport services were affected by trees and other objects falling on infrastructure.

Open this photo in gallery:A jogger runs at the beach along the Tallinn bay of the Baltic sea on a rainy and windy day in Tallinn, Estonia, on Sunday.Sergei Grits/The Associated PressTwo people died and around half a million people were left without electricity across Latvia and Lithuania after a powerful cyclone, brin

Powerful storm hits Baltic countries, killing 2 and leaving hundreds of thousands without power  Toronto Star

A powerful cyclone has hit Latvia and Lithuania, leaving two people dead and more than half a million without electricity

A powerful cyclone has hit Latvia and Lithuania, leaving two people dead and more than half a million without electricity

Several days of powerful storms walloped northwest Indiana, killing at least seven people and displacing about 1,000. The storms brought record rainfall that flooded several communities.

See How Europe’s Rivers Are Drying Up and Threatening Its Economy  wsj.com

A historic boat emerges in Serbia as Europe’s rivers run dry from drought and heat  AP News

Heat in Europe causing drought, wildfires  CNN

In our news wrap Friday, a heat wave is breaking records across Europe, record-breaking rainfall triggered flooding across several cities in Japan, Hawaii is preparing for significant rain and strong winds from Tropical Storm Lala and authorities in Italy recovered a trio of stolen artworks by Renoir, Cézanne and Matis

The whole planet is warming, but changes in weather patterns could help explain why the continent is suffering so many bouts of severe heat.

Forecasters in the U.K. are predicting the mercury will rise as high as 38 C in central and southeast England on Thursday, potentially making it the hottest day of the year. Temperatures in France, meanwhile, are forecast to go even higher, reaching 40 C in central and southern areas and 38 C in Paris.

Today has officially become the hottest August 13 ever recorded in the Netherlands.