Temperatures were forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of Europe on Sunday as storms swept across other regions, while France reported 1,000 excess deaths linked to the record-breaking heatwave.
France’s public health agency said the majority of the heat-related deaths involved older people, warning that the toll was expected to rise as more data becomes available from residential care facilities and private homes.
Scientists have described the heatwave, which began on June 20, as the most severe ever recorded in Europe, with extreme temperatures disrupting power generation, damaging infrastructure and placing heavy pressure on healthcare systems.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said around 150 million people were living under extreme heat, with hundreds of deaths reported, schools closed and electricity grids under strain.
He warned that heatwaves once considered “once-in-a-generation” events are now occurring almost annually due to climate change and global warming, adding that Europe’s homes, schools and workplaces remain poorly equipped to cope with extreme temperatures.