Overview
- The heat wave continues across central and eastern Europe with fresh national records reported, including 41°C in Slovakia and 40.4°C in Belarus.
- The World Health Organization says the event has caused more than 1,300 excess deaths since June 21, and Paris funerary services reported they had reached capacity after a sharp rise in fatalities.
- Hot river water has forced French nuclear operators to shut or throttle multiple reactors to stay within discharge limits, and rail services have been canceled in several countries because tracks and on-board systems cannot safely handle extreme temperatures.
- Governments and state-linked firms are deploying emergency cooling measures and funding now, with France announcing over €130 million for air conditioning and EDF pledging €80 million to equip schools, hospitals and care centers.
- Scientists attribute the intensity of the June event to human-caused climate change, and experts warn that widespread retrofits, changes to building design and long-term funding are needed to avoid repeating these disruptions.