Germany temperature reaches record of 41.3 degrees, France sees dozens of deaths during extreme heat

A heatwave sweeping Europe was starting to peak in Germany on Thursday, with several open-air events cancelled and temperatures expected to top 40C through the weekend.

40°C temperatures are forecast to hit typically colder EU countries in the coming days, as experts warn hospitals and schools could be put under strain.

In France, dozens of people including both young and old have died during the heatwave