Europe temperatures shatter records: 191 mn face 35C on Sunday; over 1,300 dead in extreme heat

A powerful heat wave swept across Europe on Sunday, affecting nearly 191 million people and bringing extreme temperatures to large parts of the continent.The scorching conditions pushed temperatures to record highs in several countries, including Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Denmark, which experienced unusually intense heat.The extreme weather also reached the Nordic region, where Denmark recorded its hottest day since records began in 1874, with temperatures hitting 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in Ødum, north of Aarhus, according to the Danish Meteorological Institute.Switzerland also registered record-breaking temperatures, with the city of Basel reaching 38.8 degrees Celsius (101.8 degrees Fahrenheit).In Germany, temperatures were forecast to climb as high as 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), causing widespread disruption. Near Berlin, sections of the concrete on the A2 Autobahn buckled under the extreme heat, forcing authorities to close parts of the highway. Germany's Bild newspaper also reported heat-related damage on other roads across the country.Meanwhile, the Czech Republic recorded its hottest day on record, with temperatures reaching 40.8 degrees Celsius (105.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in the northern town of Doksany.

Forecasters warned temperatures could climb even higher, as cited by AFP.High temperatures are also forecast across Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia, Italy, Austria and western Ukraine.

Heatwave has claimed more than 1,300 lives across Europe

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday that more than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded across Europe since June 21 as a result of the record-breaking heatwave gripping much of the continent.Earlier in the day, French health authorities reported around 1,000 more deaths than expected in the country since Wednesday, highlighting the mounting toll of the extreme temperatures.Across Europe, “more than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded since 21 June linked to high temperatures in Europe”, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.“Heat stress is often called the 'silent killer' – and European homes, workplaces and schools were not built for these temperatures,” he said.Millions of people across the continent are currently “living under extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are shut, grids are buckling”, Tedros warned.“Driven by climate change and global warming, the phenomenon of the 'once-in-a-generation' heatwave is now occurring nearly annual,” he said, adding that “Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating at twice the global average”.Tedros said the UN health agency was “working with its Member States and partners to address the health threats posed by extreme heat through focusing on preparedness, prevention and stronger health system responses”.He also urged European countries to “implement heat health action plans” as part of broader efforts to protect public health in the face of climate change.

Transport, critical infrastructure hit

The extreme heat has also disrupted transport and strained critical infrastructure across parts of Europe.In Germany, train services were reduced on a major rail line in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, while tram services were suspended in the eastern city of Leipzig.

Local media reported that many residents stayed indoors, venturing outside only after sunset to avoid the scorching temperatures.The prolonged heatwave has also taken a toll on Europe's rivers, lowering water levels and raising temperatures, creating challenges for electricity generation and agriculture.In Italy, water levels in the Po River have fallen sharply, allowing seawater to push as far as 18 kilometres (11 miles) inland and raising concerns over the impact on agriculture and protected wetlands in the river delta.Meanwhile, in Hungary, the government said the Paks nuclear power plant was likely to cut power output again on Sunday because the Danube River, which supplies cooling water to the facility, had become too warm.Authorities have also reported dozens of drowning deaths across Europe as people sought relief from the intense heat in rivers, lakes and coastal waters.