By Dmitry Solovyov MOSCOW, July 13 (Reuters) – One of the fiercest heatwaves in its history has engulfed Russia, withering crops, causing the worst drought in 130 years and prompting a top public health official to call for Spanish-style siesta breaks.Central parts of European Russia, the Volga region, southern Urals and Siberia have all been suffering from the scorching heat, which started in late June and often reaches 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in the shade.

Similar conditions have only occurred five times — in 1919, 1920, 1936, 1938 and 1972 — since Russia started recording temperatures 130 years ago, Valery Lukyanov, deputy head of Russia’s main weather forecast centre Roshydromet, told Reuters.