[AP]
[AP]

A record-breaking heat wave gripping Europe shows no sign of easing, triggering power outages, transport disruptions and school closures across the continent. The WHO urged governments to strengthen their health systems, warning that climate-driven heat waves pose a growing threat to public health.

Extreme heat battered communities across Europe on Wednesday, causing casualties and disrupting critical infrastructure.

France logged its hottest day since weather records began in 1947 for the second consecutive day. The average daytime and nighttime temperature across 30 major monitoring stations nationwide reached 30 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, surpassing the previous day's record of 29.8 degrees.

French authorities told Reuters that at least 48 people had died in connection with the heat wave, including victims of drowning accidents.

In Spain, temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius claimed the lives of two elderly people who died from heat-related illness.

The southwestern French town of Pissos recorded a high of 44.3 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, while Paris hit 40.9 degrees on Wednesday, setting a new June temperature record for the capital. AFP reported that temperatures above 40 degrees were recorded in 54 of France's 96 mainland departments — more than half the total.

The heat wave also disrupted power supplies. A substation in northwestern France overheated and shut down, cutting power to 68,000 households, while outages affected as many as 106,000 homes nationwide.

Nuclear power generation was also affected. Électricité de France said it cut output at its nuclear plants by 4.1 gigawatts during peak hours — roughly 7 percent of total power demand — due to restrictions on cooling water supply. France's electricity exports to major European countries fell sharply as a result.

AFP estimated that about 44 million of France's 67 million people were under a red heat alert.

Germany's national weather service and an EU joint research center projected that about 94 million people across Europe were experiencing temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, while more than 350 million lived in areas where temperatures exceeded 30 degrees.

Britain also broke heat records. Red alerts were issued across large parts of England and Wales, and temperatures in Hampshire climbed to 36.1 degrees Celsius — the hottest June reading since records began in 1884, surpassing the previous record of 35.6 degrees set roughly 50 years ago.

BBC reported that more than 1,100 schools in England and Wales closed or shortened their hours. Rail operators canceled a large number of services due to track safety concerns and asked the public to avoid unnecessary travel.

Tourist attractions also scaled back operations. The Eiffel Tower closed early, and Buckingham Palace reduced its Changing of the Guard ceremony in response to the heat.

Demand for cooling appliances surged in France. Carrefour sold about 30,000 fans and air conditioners in a single day on Monday, while sales of cooling products on Amazon France more than doubled compared with the same period last year.

Italy's health ministry convened an emergency meeting to coordinate the country's response. Red alerts were issued for 16 cities, including Rome and Milan, with Florence forecast to reach a high of 41 degrees Celsius and Milan 38 degrees.

Authorities said the number of cities under red alert would expand to 17 on Thursday. Florence's Uffizi Gallery temporarily suspended ticket sales after its air conditioning system broke down.

Belgium forecast highs of up to 37 degrees Celsius and issued an orange heat warning nationwide. The country's meteorological service said Wednesday was the hottest June 24 since records began in 1833.

The Atomium, a landmark tourist attraction in Brussels, shortened its opening hours. In the Netherlands, outdoor sporting events were canceled under heat warnings, public transport services were reduced and schools cut their hours.

Poland issued a heat warning from Thursday through Saturday, and Croatia and Hungary also signaled that red alerts were forthcoming.

Reuters Climate Monitor reported that temperatures in some parts of Europe were running as much as 18 degrees Celsius above seasonal norms.

Reuters and Britain's The Telegraph identified an "omega block" as the driving force behind the heat wave. The phenomenon — named for the Greek letter Ω — creates an atmospheric pressure pattern that traps hot Saharan air over Western Europe for an extended period, sustaining the extreme heat.

The WHO also called on governments to step up their response, warning that heat waves are causing a growing number of deaths.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "The data is clear. European temperatures are rising at roughly twice the global average rate, and the likelihood and intensity of extreme heat are increasing."

"We cannot afford to wait any longer. Leaders must prioritize investment in climate-resilient health systems, accelerate climate action and mitigate the drivers of the climate crisis," he added.

Experts say the heat wave is most likely not an isolated weather anomaly but a manifestation of the long-term effects of climate change. Calls are growing across Europe for governments to treat extreme heat not merely as a meteorological disaster but as a complex emergency threatening public health, energy systems and critical infrastructure alike.


rainbow@heraldcorp.com