Nuclear power plants shut down, Eiffel Tower closed, 40 people drowned: Europe’s heat wave crisis deepens
At least 40 people have drowned in France over the past five days as much of Europe has been hit by a severe heat wave, with most of the victims being young people swimming in unsupervised areas, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on Tuesday.Le Cornu called the drowning a “tragic disaster” during an emergency cabinet meeting. Marina Ferrari, the minister responsible for young people, said most drownings occurred in lakes and canals. “It’s no small thing to swim unsupervised during a heatwave like this,” she told French radio.Among the dead was a 13-year-old girl who was swimming in the Seine with her family but could not swim. A young professional footballer remains in critical condition after being rescued from the Rhone River near Lyon. Two children aged two and four were found dead in a family car in Carpentras in southern France on Monday.
Records fall as heat dome sets over Europe
France recorded its hottest June day on record, with an average temperature of 29.8°C, and its hottest night, with an average minimum temperature of 21.6°C. More than half of France is on red alert, with Météo France warning that “exceptionally high temperatures both day and night” could have “serious health consequences”.Forecasters expect temperatures to hit 40°C in Paris this week and 43°C in parts of central France. The current heatwave is the second in about a month, following record-breaking temperatures in May.
Most countries in Europe are experiencing a deadly heat wave.
Meteorologists attribute the extreme conditions to a “heat dome,” a strong area of high pressure that traps hot air and blocks fronts, causing temperatures to rise day after day. The Royal Belgian Meteorological Institute described the phenomenon as a “lid on a frying pan”, adding: “It has never been so hot this early in the year, for so long”.
Major developments in Europe:
Eiffel Tower: Closing early at 4pm on Tuesday and expected to close again on WednesdayLouvre: Closing time will be moved up to 4pm from Wednesday to Saturdaynuclear power plant: Golfech in southwestern France closed after river water temperature reached legal cooling limit of 28°CSchool: 845 schools were closed on Monday and another 1,800 schools were allowed to close early.Spain: Red alert in effect for Andalusia, Cantabria and Basque Country; temperatures could reach 44°CU.K: The Met Office has issued a rare red warning for extreme heat, indicating a danger to lifeItaly: Red alerts have been issued in 15 cities including Rome, Milan, Florence, Turin and VeniceGermany: Six fatal swimming incidents reported; lifesaving association warns men to overestimate their abilitiesNetherlands: Issue orange alertBelgium: National heating plan launched for second time
