A man refreshed himself during a heatwave in Chamonix, France, Jun 25, 2026, as temperatures exceeding 30°C at 1,000m altitude raise concerns about glacier melt, safety and the impact on the Alpine environment. (Photo: REUTERS/Pierre Albouy)
26 Jun 2026 10:09PM
(Updated: 26 Jun 2026 10:20PM)
PARIS: Health authorities across Europe were on high alert on Friday (Jun 26) as a killer heatwave progressed across the continent, prompting alcohol bans and the cancellation of mass gatherings in France, and melting road surfaces in Germany. Scientists said the heatwave, which began on Jun 20, was the worst recorded in Europe, where the climate is changing faster than anywhere else on the globe.Temperatures were peaking in France and Britain, where records for June have been broken. But in Italy, the heat was expected to intensify into the weekend, bringing the summer’s first readings of 40°C.Paris hit a June record of 40.9°C on Wednesday. Even though temperatures were expected to ease, authorities braced for more casualties. Across the continent, cultural landmarks have been forced to close, and farming has suffered. In Britain, doctors said the hot weather was affecting critical equipment such as MRI scanners in hospitals.
