A severe heatwave sweeping across parts of Europe has led to multiple deaths and prompted health warnings in France, Spain, Italy, and Greece. Authorities have cancelled trains, concerts, and sports events, and banned public drinking in some areas as temperatures soar above 40°C.
France on Red Alert
About a third of France is under a “red alert” for heat, with temperatures reaching 40°C in some regions. The forecast for Monday is even hotter. The Eiffel Tower and other Paris venues have set up misting stations to cool crowds. The French government has banned public drinking in red alert zones and ordered organisers of the nationwide Music Day on Sunday to limit alcohol consumption to preserve emergency services. Scores of trains have been cancelled, and the national rail authority has dispatched extra staff to deal with potential problems from heat-damaged rails and electrical cables.
French media reported that four children drowned on Saturday. About 15,000 older people died in France in a 2003 heat wave that led to national reforms. The government has mobilised emergency services and military forces for wildfire readiness, tightened surveillance of water supplies to nuclear reactors, and ordered 845 schools to close on Monday.
Spain and Italy Take Precautions
Spain’s Basque Country has cancelled outdoor sports and cultural events due to temperatures expected to hover around 40°C, even in typically cooler northern regions. The heatwave is expected to last until at least Wednesday. In Italy, heat warnings, known as “red flags,” have been expanded to eight cities in northern and central parts, with temperatures in the upper 30s. At a farm outside Milan, owners set up fans and sprinklers to keep cows cool, while visitors to Milan Fashion Week used parasols and fans.
Germany and Greece Affected
The German Weather Service forecasts temperatures up to 37°C on Monday and Tuesday, and up to 39°C on Wednesday. A 23-year-old man drowned on Saturday in a lake near Rheinstetten, and three others are missing after swimming in the Rhine River, according to German news agency dpa. Thunderstorms also threaten parts of Germany and Poland. Greece has also issued heat alerts, with authorities warning of increased risk of heatstroke and wildfires.
Climate Change Link
More than 200,000 people across Europe died from heat-related causes over the last four years, and most of the fatalities were preventable, the World Health Organisation’s Europe office said this month. A rapid study found that human-caused climate change was responsible for killing about 1,500 people in an unusually early European heat wave in May. UN climate agency projections say the next five years should shatter more heat records.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu convened a new government heat crisis meeting on Sunday and ordered ministers to plan for better adapting France to heat waves in the future, “including via air conditioning, if necessary.”
