Residents across large portions of Western Europe were urged Thursday to take the ongoing deadly heatwave seriously, as the extreme temperatures continued to claim lives, disrupt transportation, and force the closure of schools and cultural sites.
Paris endured another brutally hot day following a record-breaking Wednesday, when the French capital recorded a June high of 40.9 degrees Celsius — equivalent to 105.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Across the English Channel, southern England also set a new June temperature record on Wednesday, reaching 36.1 degrees Celsius.
The mayor of Paris warned that the people most at risk may not be who residents expect. Speaking on broadcaster TF1, Emmanuel Gregoire said the most vulnerable populations are actually being watched closely and are well-informed about the dangers. Instead, he expressed concern about a different group.
“The profile of people currently facing health risks is not necessarily what one might expect — that is, the most vulnerable, because they are closely monitored and well informed,” Gregoire said. “Rather, it’s people aged between 50 and 70 who are generally in good health, but who think this is just a normal period and continue going about their usual activities as if nothing has changed. Really, protect yourselves.”
French authorities reported that at least 48 people have drowned since the heatwave began, many of them trying to find relief from the heat in bodies of water. Two young children also died after being left in a hot vehicle.
France has had protective measures in place since a devastating 2003 heatwave that caused nearly 15,000 excess deaths, with elderly citizens bearing the greatest burden. Those measures include regular check-ins on older residents and providing air-conditioned spaces for people in retirement homes.
Air conditioning is still relatively uncommon across Europe, but manufacturers from Asia — including South Korea’s Samsung Electronics, China’s Midea, and Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric — are seeing a surge in sales, particularly in France, Spain, and Italy.
Meteorologists say the heat is being driven by a weather phenomenon called an Omega block, named for its resemblance to the Greek letter Omega. The pattern features a bulging center that traps heat over a region for extended stretches, while cooler air remains at its edges. According to the Reuters Climate Monitor, the Omega block has pushed temperatures as much as 18 degrees Celsius above normal. Scientists note that climate change is intensifying both heatwaves and storms.
In Italy, the health minister called an emergency meeting after Italian media reported five heat-related deaths on Wednesday alone. The victims included two farmers in the northern provinces of Lodi and Piacenza, a man at a cemetery in the northern town of Pavia, a worker in the northeastern city of Padua, and a homeless man in the southern city of Naples.
France’s national weather agency offered some relief, saying temperatures there are expected to gradually drop beginning Friday. However, Germany, Austria, and Italy are bracing for a rough weekend ahead.
Germany’s National Meteorological Service issued extreme heat warnings for a broad swath of western Germany, where temperatures are forecast to climb to 38 degrees Celsius on Thursday, then reach 41 degrees Celsius on Friday and Saturday. The country’s national rail operator, Deutsche Bahn, announced that customers may cancel their travel plans without penalty due to the heat.
In neighboring Austria, weather officials issued a red heat warning for the northeastern part of the country, including the capital Vienna, where temperatures this weekend could potentially hit a record 40 degrees Celsius.
Italy faces its most intense heat between Saturday and Monday, with forecasts calling for temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius — well above what is typical for this time of year — especially across northern plains and interior central regions.
