Europe’s energy grid is being put to the test as the continent swelters under its third heatwave of the year.
Forecasters warn that temperatures may hit a scorching 43°C in the Mediterranean this week, as Western Europe braces for potentially record-breaking heat.
France has already placed more than half of its 96 departments under a danger-to-life red alert, urging citizens to avoid direct sunlight and exercise “absolute vigilance”.
Across the channel, the UK’s Met Office warns that daytime highs in the south of England could reach 38°C in the coming days, along with ‘dangerous’ tropical nights (where the temperature never dips below 20°C during a 24-hour period).
Germany, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland are also anticipating scorching temperatures, which are starting to bring daily life to a standstill.
