Europe’s heatwave intensifies, France raises alert to highest

A punishing heatwave that left Spain, France, and the UK sweltering for days now shifts eastward, with forecasters in Germany and the Czech Republic warning of dangerous conditions. Temperatures across Germany could hit 40C in western and south-western areas today and throughout the country tomorrow. Meanwhile, the Czech Republic faces an extreme weather warning for the coming weekend.

In France, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu raised the health alert level to its highest point to boost hospital staffing and protect the vulnerable. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist reported deaths linked to the extreme temperatures among young people suffering cardiac arrests, alongside the elderly. United Nations climate change chief Simon Stiell stated that Europe's savage heatwave bears the fingerprints of the climate crisis, calling for a faster shift to renewables and stronger efforts to protect forests.

The situation in Paris remains critical as Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire noted a rising mortality rate. Authorities expressed frustration over public behaviour, with reports of joggers continuing their routines despite the red alert. Tragically, a 3-year-old child died in a car in the Paris region, following a similar discovery of two young children in the town of Carpentras. In Rennes, Professor Louis Soulas of the emergency department linked the deaths of 5 or 6 people in their homes to the heat, warning that his intensive care units remain saturated.

French teachers’ unions called for a strike, citing unacceptable working conditions, while 3 nuclear plants went offline due to the intense temperatures. Western regions now brace for violent thunderstorms expected to bring gusts of up to 110km/h.

Climate change continues to drive up temperatures across the globe, though Europe remains the fastest warming continent, heating up twice as fast as the global average. This shift triggers increased pressure on water supplies and intense wildfires. Spain’s monitoring system counted 213 fatalities between Sunday and Wednesday that could be linked to the heat.

Across the border in Germany, night-time temperatures in Bad Bergzabern did not fall below 26.2C, equalling a national record. Luxembourg recorded its highest June temperature of 38.3C, while national train operator Deutsche Bahn now offers free ticket cancellations for those choosing not to travel. Similar warnings extend across Switzerland, Austria, and the Netherlands.

In Italy, the Uffizi museum in Florence halted ticket sales until 28 June because the air conditioning system could not cope with the high temperatures, which reached 32C inside the building. Forecasters warn that the peak of the heat in northern Italy arrives on Monday, with temperatures expected to hit 40C and night-time lows refusing to drop below 29C. Experts suggest that the mild June days of the last century are now a thing of the past.

-BBC