It is reported that 3 people have died in France as most of Europe is facing extreme heat
Listen to this article
Average 4 minutes
The audio version of this article was created by AI-based technology. It can be mispronounced. We are working with our partners to continuously review and improve the results.
Three people have died as a result of extreme heat in France and thousands of schools have closed or been closed for hours as European authorities issued heat wave warnings.
Temperatures in Bordeaux in south-west France are expected to exceed 42C on Monday and weather agency Meteo France said 49 regional authorities will be under a red heat wave warning.
“We are looking at, at least, a few days of very hot weather. We don't know when the temperatures will start to drop,” said French Health Minister Stephanie Rist on TV channel TF1.
Three elderly women, aged between 80 and 95, died over the weekend in the Bordeaux region due to health problems caused by the current heat wave, local government official Sophie Brocas told France TV late Sunday.
The Met Office, Britain's national weather forecaster, said on Monday that a four-day heat wave covering southern and central England and parts of Wales could drop temperatures above 39 C in some places, easily breaking the previous June record of 35.6 C.
June's heat wave follows a record-breaking May, when Britain recorded its hottest day of the month, reaching 35.1 C.
Europe was the continent farthest from its record on Monday, with an average high temperature of 24 C, which was 4.1 C above the average from 1961-1990, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor. In comparison, Asia and North America were 2 C and 1.3 C above the historical norm.
Spain is a few degrees hotter than normal
In Spain, the weather organization Aemet has issued a red warning for the Basque region, in the usually cold north of the country, where the mercury in San Sebastián will rise to 40 C, more than double the city's historical average of June 22, according to Reuters Climate Monitor.
San Sebastián would be hotter than the southern cities of Seville and Córdoba, which often record the country's hottest summer heat.
“We see temperatures between five and 10 degrees above normal for this time of year, and in some northern areas even more than 10 degrees above average,” said Rubén del Campo, spokesman for AEMET, the Spanish weather agency.
Night time provided little relief in other parts of Spain, with temperatures failing to drop below 25 C or even 30 C in places such as the southwestern province of Almeria, Aemet said.
The Department of Labor said it is looking into whether companies are complying with the rules that allow workers to reduce or adjust their working hours when orange or red weather warnings are issued. Employees are also entitled to four days of paid leave if they cannot get to work due to weather, it said.
Near Rome's Pantheon, visitors dipped their hats or caps in fountains and splashed their faces or wrapped wet towels around their necks, while others took shelter in restaurants with misting fans.
The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service found that in Europe and around the world, 2024 was the hottest year on record.
Scientists warn that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heat and drought, especially in southeastern Europe, making the region more vulnerable to health impacts and wildfires.
The burning of gasoline, oil and coal, as well as deforestation, wildfires and many types of industry, release greenhouse gases that cause climate change.
