The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday warned that Europe could face “more deadly weeks” as another intense heatwave is expected to develop over the Atlantic.
Temperatures in parts of Portugal and southern Spain are forecast to reach 43°C in the coming days. WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge urged countries to strengthen heat-health preparedness, noting that fewer than half of the region’s member states have dedicated heat action plans.
The warning follows the severe June heatwave, which experts say was Europe’s most intense on record, contributing to an estimated 3,700 excess deaths in France, the Netherlands and Belgium, while disrupting infrastructure, power generation and healthcare services.