Western Europe is facing a heatwave on Wednesday that broke records, killed dozens of people, closed schools, cut off electricity and destroyed chicken farms.
In France, which on Tuesday recorded its hottest day since records began nearly 80 years ago, authorities sought to restore electricity to thousands of homes hit by blackouts in the northwestern region of Brittany. The recorded temperature reached 44.3 C in the southwestern town of Pissos.
Italy's health ministry has issued a high heat warning for 16 cities, from Florence and Milan to Rome, Turin and Verona.
In Britain, on its hottest June day, the Met Office weather service issued the second worst heat warning in its history. Hundreds of schools remain closed or closed early, as high temperatures put even healthy people at risk.
At least 48 people have died in France from drowning while trying to find respite from the heat, and two children died from heatstroke in a car, authorities said.
Two elderly people have died from heatstroke in Spain, which has seen its worst temperature since last weekend above 40 C. Temperatures were beginning to ease on Wednesday, after Monday and Tuesday were the hottest days on record for late June, the national weather agency AEMET said.
A deadly heat dome has settled in Europe, sending temperatures above 40 C in many places. In France, dozens have died, including 40 from drowning, as people seek relief from the heat.
Hot temperatures have killed hundreds of thousands of birds on poultry farms in Brittany and the Pays de la Loire, French agricultural agencies have said. Farmers awaiting collection or burial are advised to sprinkle sawdust or wood shavings over the corpses to absorb the liquid. Dead birds can be buried on farms only after a technical and environmental assessment.
Nuclear power plants that provide most of France's electricity cut their output by about seven percent of electricity demand on Wednesday, as high temperatures cut access to cooling water.
A rare weather pattern known as the Omega block has been causing record temperatures across Europe, reaching 18 C above normal, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor.
This situation is similar to the shape of the Greek letter Omega, which is in the middle of the catchment area to catch strong heat that flies in places for a long time, and cool weather at its edges.
Meteorological agency Meteo-France said the conditions were comparable to a heat wave in August 2003 that lasted 16 days and caused an estimated 80,000 deaths across Europe.
Europe is twice as hot as the global average, says the World Meteorological Organization, making longer heatwaves more common.
Workers in all industries are affected
The Eiffel Tower announced an early curfew, and the Changing of the Guard outside Buckingham Palace was postponed, except for the usual ceremony of soldiers in red coats and heavy bear hats.
In Paris, where the annual Fashion Week was underway, onlookers could be seen panting and sweating during the Louis Vuitton show as male models showed off pop singer Pharrell Williams' creations. Labels including Dior and Rick Owens have changed their schedules to hold shows in the morning, organizers said.
Sascha Meyer, manager of the Bamberger Haus beer garden in Munich, where fresh chickens were roasted on a spit, thought it was close to 50 C in the serving area. “Unfortunately, the fan doesn't help.”
An extreme heat warning was in place across the Netherlands, where outdoor sports were cancelled, public transport was reduced and schools reduced classes or closed as temperatures were expected to rise to 36 C. In Switzerland, local authorities opened air-conditioned theaters to show free daytime cinemas.
Construction contractors across the continent are changing working hours so workers can avoid the worst, while retailers are struggling to meet demand for fans and portable air-conditioners.
France's agricultural federation said farmers are introducing night-time harvesting shifts to protect workers from the afternoon heat and fields from fire risk.
In Britain, the grid operator called on generators to make more power available amid soaring temperatures set to break records later on Wednesday.
Temperatures in Japan have reached a critical level, and the language is changing to match. The Japan Meteorological Agency has introduced a new term for days over 40 C: kokushobi, or “very hot day.” In a culture with a deep connection between the seasons and language, CBC News' Johanna Wagstaffe explores how the arrival of the word is a surprising sign of climate change.
Train operators warned of essential journeys only on Wednesday and Thursday, as the heat brought speed restrictions.
In Italy, conditions were expected to worsen, especially in central and northern areas, as the heat wave is likely to intensify between Sunday and Monday, meteorologists said.
Temperatures could reach 41 C between Tuscany and Emilia, while in coastal areas such as Liguria, a combination of extreme heat and humidity could drive temperatures expected to reach 45 C.
Still, tourists waited patiently in the hot sun to visit the museums at the Vatican on Wednesday. Some held umbrellas or fans while others simply nodded their heads with t-shirts. Many gathered to refill water near wells or cafes to get more drinks.
“We want beer, hot beer,” said Father Israel from the Dominican Republic with a large pint of lager in hand.
