Europe heatwave breaks records as UN agencies ramp up health warnings
The extreme heat is also impacting economic activities, infrastructure, agriculture and ecosystems, the UN weather agency said on Thursday, providing an overview of the situation. France recorded its hottest day on record on 24 June, with an average national temperature of 30.0°C, according to the national meteorological service Météo-France, beating a record set only the previous day and surpassing earlier national records from July 2019 and August 2003. In the western town of Pulluau, temperatures climbed to 43.8°C. Overnight temperatures also reached a new national high. Authorities issued top-level red alerts for a record 58 departments, covering most of the country, and warned of increased risk of forest fires due amid worsening drought. Drowning deaths underscore heat dangers WMO noted that 40 people reportedly died in drowning accidents in France, underlining the dangers associated with the life-threatening heat. Neighbouring Spain also recorded its hottest June days on record (23 and 24 June) with temperatures above 40°C in several locations, according to the national meteorological agency AEMET. The United Kingdom’s met office issued a red extreme heat warning for 24 and 25 June and reported a provisional new June daily high of 36.1°C at Gosport, in southern England, on 24 June. Meanwhile, Germany’s national weather service has also issued widespread red alerts, including for Bonn, Frankfurt and Cologne, while three cities in Switzerland – Geneva, Basel and Zurich – were also under red alert.
