A severe heatwave continued to grip Europe on Tuesday, claiming at least 18 lives in France, including two children who died after being left in a hot car, while record-breaking temperatures were recorded across several cities.
The extreme weather forced schools across France to either close or adjust their timetables, while forecasters in Britain warned that temperatures this week could set new June records.
In southwestern France, the temperature in Bordeaux climbed to 41.9°C, surpassing the previous record set in August last year. Poitiers, in central France, also registered a new high of 41.2°C, breaking a record that had stood since 1947.
In San Sebastián, in northern Spain, temperatures were expected to reach 40°C—more than double the city’s historical average for June 22.
According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Europe is warming at more than twice the global average rate, making it one of the regions most vulnerable to increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves.