Overview
- The heatwave has moved eastward over the past week and on June 28 multiple countries recorded temperatures above 40°C with successive national highs in Germany, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
- The World Health Organization estimated on June 28 that the heatwave caused more than 1,300 excess deaths in Europe in the past week, with Paris emergency services confirming 109 deaths and French officials reporting 74 water-related fatalities since June 18.
- Critical infrastructure has been hit as river temperatures forced Switzerland’s Beznau plant to stop and Hungary’s Paks to cut output, while rail services such as Eurostar reduced trips and hospitals and emergency teams faced severe strain.
- Authorities have activated emergency measures including public drinking and alcohol controls in some cities, opening cooling shelters and cancelling events, and governments are revising heat-health plans and targets to reduce future heat deaths.
- Scientists and WHO link the event to a persistent high-pressure pattern and long-term warming, warning such extremes will become more frequent and leaving vulnerable people in poorly cooled housing at greatest risk.