Pakistan has just experienced its hottest June ever, with temperatures smashing previous records across the country and leaving millions sweltering in unprecedented heat. The record-breaking month is part of a global trend, as 12 countries, including Pakistan, Japan, Nigeria, and Spain, logged their hottest June in history, according to an AFP analysis of data from the European Copernicus Climate Monitor.

The extreme heatwave affected nearly 800 million people across Europe, Asia, and Africa. In Pakistan, the searing temperatures followed an unusually hot spring, capping off the warmest April-to-June period ever recorded in the country. Central Asian neighbors such as Tajikistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan also reported their hottest spring and early summer on record.

Japan, meanwhile, endured its hottest June since 1898, with coastal waters registering 1.2°C above normal and the heat even disrupting the iconic blooming of cherry trees. Both South Korea and North Korea also set new records for June temperatures since recordkeeping began.

China was not spared, as more than 100 weather stations across the country reported their highest-ever June temperatures, with many locations exceeding 40°C. In Europe, 15 countries—including Spain, Italy, and several Balkan states—saw temperatures soar more than 3°C above average.

Africa, too, felt the heat, with Nigeria and several central and eastern nations facing exceptional temperatures. In South Sudan, authorities were forced to close schools after students collapsed due to the extreme conditions.