The death toll during the abnormal heatwave in Europe has exceeded 1,300 people. Temperature records have been set in several countries simultaneously, and the wave of extreme heat is moving towards the Balkans and Ukraine.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE SCALE OF THE HEAT
According to Euronews, Europe is experiencing the strongest heatwave on record. The cause is said to be a weather phenomenon called an 'omega block', where hot, dry air from North Africa is held over one region due to atmospheric circulation patterns. As a result, temperatures in some places are exceeding the seasonal norm by 18°C.
According to AFP analysis, on one day at least 130 million residents of Central and Eastern Europe faced temperatures above 35°C, and more than 269 million people were expected to see temperatures above 30°C.
WHAT CONSEQUENCES HAVE ALREADY BEEN RECORDED
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded since 21 June. Among the dead are children left in locked cars, as well as people who drowned in bathing spots where they were trying to escape the heat.
One of the worst-affected countries has been France. The National Health Agency reported approximately 1,000 additional deaths since 24 June, the majority of which occurred among people over 65 years old. Since 18 June, at least 74 drownings have also been recorded in France.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called heat stress a 'silent killer' and urged European governments to implement action plans for extreme heat conditions.
WHERE HAVE TEMPERATURE RECORDS BEEN BROKEN
Absolute temperature records have been set in several European countries at once:
- Czech Republic — 41.9°C in Doksany;
- Germany — 41.7°C in Köthen, and the warmest night in nearly 150 years of records in the town of Kubschütz;
- Poland — 40.5°C in Słubice;
- Spain — 43.7°C in the municipality of Tama in the Cantabria region.
June temperature records were also set in the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
HOW ARE AUTHORITIES RESPONDING
Authorities in Paris banned drinking alcohol in public places over the weekend, postponed the city's Pride March, and the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre began closing earlier than usual.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held a special cabinet meeting dedicated to reviewing the passage of the heatwave and preparing for new episodes of extreme temperatures.
In Berlin, police used water cannons for two days running to help residents cool down. In Belgium, organisers cancelled the annual reenactment of the Battle of Waterloo, citing safety concerns.
According to the state energy company EDF and several creditors, more than €130 million has been allocated in France for installing cooling systems and repairing schools and nurseries.
WHERE IS THE HEATWAVE MOVING
The extreme heat is spreading towards the Balkans and Ukraine. Temperatures above 35°C were expected in Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Croatia, Austria, southern Poland, and western Ukraine.
It is noted that the state of the energy infrastructure remains an additional problem for Ukraine. Power system operators in at least five regions have announced temporary restrictions on electricity consumption. Serhiy Kovalenko, CEO of the energy company Yasno, stated that the power system is operating 'at the limit of its capabilities' due to summer repairs following winter damage.
CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
A group of scientists from World Weather Attribution stated that such an early summer heatwave would have been 'practically impossible' without climate change.
According to John Kennedy, head of the climate information unit at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), such heatwaves are consistent with the expected consequences of climate change. He also noted that over the last 50 years, Europe as a whole has warmed by approximately 2°C.
