VIDEO: Berlin police deploy water cannons to cool crowds as Europe sizzles

Authorities in Berlin have turned to an unconventional tactic to help residents cope with a punishing heatwave.

In clips seen by TNX Africa, the city's police deployed two massive water cannon vehicles, typically used to manage political demonstrations, to spray cooling mist over crowds gathered in public spaces.

According to Euronews, the vehicles drove past iconic landmarks including the Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz, and the Reichstag Building, using low-pressure jets to provide relief from the extreme temperatures.

The unusual initiative comes as Germany experiences its first major heatwave of the season.

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Temperatures have climbed to around 40 degrees Celsius in several areas.

Preliminary data from the German Weather Service shows the country recorded its warmest night on record, with temperatures in the eastern town of Kubschütz remaining above 29.4 degrees Celsius.

Over the weekend, Möckern-Drewitz recorded a daytime high of 41.5 degrees Celsius.

According to Al Jazeera, the weekend heatwave claimed at least seven lives in Germany through a series of drowning incidents, as soaring temperatures drove people to lakes and rivers.

In Berlin, police confirmed at least two people died in separate swimming accidents on Saturday.

Authorities are also investigating an incident at Jungfernheideteich, an artificial lake in a public park in western Berlin, where a man was found unresponsive.

The extreme heat has also affected France, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland.

The heatwave is expected to spread to Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia, Italy, Austria, and western Ukraine.