A deadly heat wave sweeping across Europe prompted authorities to issue health warnings Thursday, with France banning public alcohol consumption in Paris and warning that hospitals were nearing capacity as soaring temperatures strained public services across the continent.
The heat wave affected at least 101 million Europeans with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees C (95 degrees F). Authorities across the continent linked more than 220 deaths to the extreme heat.
French and British health services reported a surge in emergency calls and visits as the extreme heat affected the elderly and ill.
France and Spain reported deaths from the extreme temperatures, including a 3-year-old boy who was trapped in his family's car
"We are reaching a saturation point in hospital facilities," Paris police Prefect Patrice Faure said. "The number of hospitalizations keeps increasing."
