Europe heatwave kills hundreds, shuts schools and nuclear plants, Paris bans alcohol

Spain reports over 200 heat-related deaths

Spain has recorded at least 212 deaths linked to the heatwave between Sunday and Wednesday, according to the MoMo mortality monitoring system of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Temperatures climbed above 42°C in much of the country, reaching 44.5°C in Andalusia. The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) said Monday and Tuesday were the hottest June days in peninsular Spain since at least 1950, with three days of this event now among the ten hottest June days on record.

France activates top health alert, shuts nuclear plants

France has faced its hottest day in at least 80 years, with a national average of 29.8°C on 24 June. The night of 24-25 June was the country’s warmest ever, surpassing the record set only days earlier. More than 60 departments have reached or exceeded 40°C since 17 June. The government activated the Orsan plan at level 3, the highest health mobilisation, under Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu. Three nuclear reactors (Golfech 2, Bugey, Nogent-sur-Seine) were shut down after river water used for cooling exceeded the 28°C legal limit. Around 3,500 schools were closed and 10,000 modified their schedules, concentrating lessons in the early morning. In Paris, the prefect banned the sale and consumption of alcohol from midday on 26 June.

The capital’s hospitals are at breaking point. We are reaching saturation point.

A three-year-old boy died after locking himself inside a family car in Saint-Gratien, Val-d’Oise. Prosecutor Guirec Le Bras explained: “He closed himself inside, finding himself trapped in the vehicle, before his parents found him.” The mother was hospitalised in shock. Two other children had died in similar circumstances in Carpentras on 22 June. French authorities also reported 42 drowning deaths since 18 June as people sought relief in unsupervised lakes, rivers and canals.

He closed himself inside, finding himself trapped in the vehicle, before his parents found him.

Italy on red alert as five die, measures introduced

Italy reported five deaths on 24 June, including two farmers in the Lodi and Piacenza areas, a worker in the province of Padua, a homeless man in Naples, and a man at a cemetery in Garlasco. Seventeen cities were placed on red alert on 25 June, rising to 18 on 26 June, with the peak expected between Sunday and Monday. The Ministry of Health, led by Orazio Schillaci, convened a technical coordination meeting and issued a circular urging organisers of large summer events to adopt prevention measures and for emergency rooms to prepare dedicated pathways for heat-related illness. The public utility number 1500 has received over 300 calls.

The situation is under control today. We are closely monitoring the most vulnerable: the elderly, pregnant women and children.

UK swelters under rare red warning, cancels heat adaptation summit

The United Kingdom recorded its hottest June day ever with 35.7°C at Charlwood, Surrey, breaking a mark that had stood since 1976. A red alert was issued for London and southern Wales, forcing schools and offices to close. A conference on adapting to higher temperatures was itself cancelled due to the extreme heat. Britain came close to its all-time high of 40.3°C set in July 2022.

Health emergency declared by WHO, record temperatures across continent

The World Health Organization declared the heatwave a health emergency as over 100 million people across Europe experienced temperatures above 35°C in a single 24-hour period. Germany expected 40°C to set a new June record, with Dresden imposing water-use restrictions. The Netherlands saw its first red alert. Switzerland also recorded extremely high temperatures, with the heat bubble slowly shifting eastward.