AN Alicante resort has been hit by a wave dubbed a "mini-tsunami" apparently caused by a blowtorch Saharan heat surge that could see temperatures in Spain hit 47C.

       The bizarre rise in the tide - known as a meteotsunami - swept through the coastal town of Santa Pola last night.

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       A sudden change in atmospheric pressure sparked the mini-tsunami as heat feeds in from Africa Credit: Facebook/policialocalsantapola 6

       The heat wave is set to send temperature to high levels and worsen wildfires

       The rare tidal phenomenon flooded the beach, promenade and nearby streets, with cars damaged and boats set adrift.

       It was apparently caused by a dramatic drop in atmospheric pressure because of hot, dry air pushing in from North Africa that caused the sea to swell.

       With the mercury in the Med already soaring beyond 40C, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian forecasters have issued heat alerts.

       Spain’s weather service, AEMET, said the heat wave will last until at least Monday

       A spokesman said: "Mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands are facing a probable heatwave.

       "This could lead to adverse effects on people’s health and to a significant risk of forest fires."

       Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa urged people to take special care amid the scorching weather and wildfire danger.

       Mr Costa said the terrible images from Greece and Turkey in recent days had brought back Portuguese memories of a 20176 deadly heatwave.

       He said: "We don't want to see that scenario here again."

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       Meanwhile, a heatwave is sweeping across Italy this week, fuelling fires in the south of the country, notably Sicily and Calabria, where a Unesco-designated natural park is threatened.

       Temperatures hit 48C in Sicily yesterday, near Syracuse, with meteorologists warning that Italy's all-time record of 48.5C, in Sicily in 1999, could be beaten today.

       Elsewhere in the south of Italy, an anticyclone dubbed Lucifer was forecast to send the mercury rising to42C before sweeping northwards,.

       Weekend temperatures are expected to be up to 40C in the central regions of Tuscany and Lazio, which includes Rome.

       On Monday, the UN released a major report warning the threat from man-made climate change is "code red" for humanity.

       A panel of leading scientists highlighted how rising global temperatures have led to more frequent extreme weather events such as storms, heatwaves and wildfires.

       However, experts say they can also happen at random and it is not possible to attribute any one event to climate change.

       What is a meteotsunami?

       Meteotsunamis are large, tsunami-like waves.

       But unlike usual tsunamis, which are caused by seismic activity, these are triggered by rapid air-pressure changes driven by fast-moving weather events, such as thunderstorms or heatwaves.

       Meteotsunamis have been recorded at reaching higher than 6ft.

       They have been observed in several countries, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Mediterranean, and the Atlantic Coast.

       In many ways, they are similar to tsunamis - often making it hard for experts to distinguish between them.

       Extreme heatwaves have occurred regularly throughout the centuries due to natural fluctuations in the weather.

       Natural warming and cooling cycles such as El Nino can spark extreme droughts and wildfires around the world.

       In 1540, Europe was hit by a freak heatwave with temperatures around 7C higher than the 20th-century average.

       A devastating drought lasted 11 months, major rivers ran dry and forest fires turned skies black. Half a million people died from famine and disease.

       It was the hottest year for nearly five centuries until the record summer of 2003.

       Spain's official highest ever temperature of 46.9C was recorded in Córdoba in July 2017.

       A higher temperature of 47C was set in Badajoz in June 1864 and also in Seville in August 1946, although these are not accepted as official records.

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       Sunseeking Brits are set to get more than they bargained for as the heat wave takes hold Credit: Alamy 6

       Already the temperature is soaring Credit: Alamy 6

       A hillside is engulfed in flames as a wildfire burns in Petralia Soprana, Italy Credit: Reuters 6

       The number of Italian cities on red alert due to the potential impact of the heat on people's health is set to rise from four on 10 Credit: EPA

       Apocalyptic wildfires blaze Greece with flames filling the sky as people flee as Turkey burns for a second week