PARIS: A severe heatwave continued to grip Europe on Sunday, pushing temperatures above 40°C in several countries, triggering deadly health emergencies, disrupting transport and power systems, and causing widespread environmental damage. France alone has reported around 1,000 excess deaths linked to the prolonged spell of extreme heat.
French health authorities said the majority of those who died were elderly people, adding that the death toll could rise further as more information becomes available from nursing homes and private residences. The heatwave, which began on June 20, has been described by scientists as one of the most intense ever recorded in Europe.
The World Health Organization warned that nearly 150 million people across the continent are living under dangerous heat conditions. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said climate change has transformed what were once rare heatwaves into almost annual events, exposing the lack of preparedness in Europe’s homes, schools, and workplaces.
Scientists say the intensity of the current heatwave would have been virtually impossible without human-induced climate change, which has significantly increased the likelihood of record-breaking daytime and nighttime temperatures.
The scorching weather has disrupted daily life across the continent. Germany reduced train services on a major rail route, while tram operations were suspended in Leipzig because of the extreme conditions. In Hungary, the Paks nuclear power plant cut electricity production after the Danube River became too warm to provide effective cooling.
Italy is also facing serious challenges, with the Po River shrinking dramatically, allowing seawater to move inland and threatening agriculture and protected wetlands. Rescue teams continued searching for the missing husband of an Italian cabinet minister who disappeared while swimming in Lake Vico during the heatwave.
Meanwhile, powerful thunderstorms swept through parts of France, bringing cooler air but also causing power outages that left around 36,000 households without electricity. Meteorologists expect temperatures to ease across much of Western Europe in the coming days, although the heatwave is forecast to move further into Central Europe and the Balkans.
French officials cautioned that the health impacts of the extreme temperatures could continue for several days, warning that the crisis is far from over.
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