At least 18 people have died in France due to the ongoing severe heatwave. Among the dead are two children, aged two and four, who were found in their family's car in the southeast of the country.
In the Bordeaux region, three elderly people died from heat-related health complications. Since Sunday, authorities have recorded 13 drowning cases among people heading to beaches, rivers and other bodies of water to escape the heat.
Historic temperature records in France
France recorded unprecedented temperature levels for June. Weather officials declared a red alert, the highest level, in 54 departments covering more than half the country and approximately 38.8 million people. An orange alert is also in effect for 40 departments.
New records were broken in many cities. Temperatures reached 41.9 degrees in Bordeaux, 41.2 degrees in Poitiers, 40.6 degrees in Rennes and 43.3 degrees in Châtillon-sur-Seine. The French weather service announced that Monday saw the highest average temperature for June since data records began, and that more than 90 percent of the population was affected by this heatwave.
Due to the exceptional conditions, 1,342 schools and educational institutions were closed or had their schedules altered. Measures were taken to protect workers, particularly in the construction sector.
Alerts and measures across Europe
The effects of the heatwave spread to other European countries.
In Spain, a red alert was issued for the northern Basque region as temperatures exceeded 40 degrees. While temperatures hit 40 degrees in Madrid, authorities opened air-conditioned shelters for the homeless and at-risk groups.
In Italy, a red warning was issued for 12 cities, including Rome, Milan, Turin, Venice, Florence and Bologna. The Red Cross in Milan set up solar-powered, air-conditioned cooling centers.
In Belgium, the weather service expects this week to be the hottest in the country's history. The railway company canceled some services during the hours of extreme heat. In the Netherlands, a yellow alert is in effect due to "oppressive and uncomfortable heat."
In the United Kingdom, the Met Office issued a rare red alert for a large part of southern England, warning of an "extreme heatwave" that could see temperatures reach 38 to 40 degrees in places like London, Birmingham and Cardiff.
In Germany, the heatwave was accompanied by severe storms and hail. Police announced that five people drowned. Temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees in the western and southwestern regions, potentially breaking the national record.
High temperatures are forecast to continue through the end of the week in countries including Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia.
This is the second major heatwave to hit Western Europe in less than a month. Scientists emphasize that human-caused climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events.
