Heat waves in Europe, as temperatures soar, wildfires cause multiple deaths – Country
The early summer heat wave continued to capture much of Europe on Wednesday, with four people dying in Spain and two in Italy, causing health alerts and forest fires and forcing Swiss power plants to force nuclear reactors to shut down.
Spanish officials said a wildfire in Catalonia killed two people a day, and authorities reported deaths in the heat wave link between Extremadura and Cordoba. France's energy minister reported two calorie-related deaths and another 300 people were taken to hospital.
Italy issued a red alarm to 18 cities, while in Germany, temperatures peaked at 40 C (104 F) in some regions, making it the hottest day of the year.
Two men over 60 died in a separate incident on the beach in Sadinia due to the Heat, the ANSA news agency reported.
Weather forecaster France said that in several areas in central France, red alerts remained.
These risks are the greatest for members of vulnerable groups, and French Minister of Health and Family Catherine Vautrin said authorities should be vigilant.
“In the next few days we will see the consequences, especially in the most vulnerable situations, I think especially of older people,” she said.
Türkiye has fought the fire in several ways, forcing temporary evacuation of 50,000 people earlier this week.
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Officials said fires in Spain’s Catalonia area on Tuesday destroyed several farms and affected an area of about 40 kilometers (25 miles).
Italy, France and Germany warn of heat storm
Italy, France and Germany warn of dangerous risks due to excessive warming in an unstable atmosphere. Later Monday, a storm in the French Alps triggered mudslides, destroying rail traffic between Paris and Milan.
Swiss utility AXPO shut down a reactor unit at the Beznau nuclear power plant and closed half of its output on another reactor on Tuesday due to high temperatures in the river.
Water is used for cooling and other purposes of nuclear power plants and is expected to continue to be restricted when monitoring temperatures.
Extreme heat may affect economic growth in the region, with growth expected to slow by half by 2025, Allianz's research said in a report.
The heat waves earlier this year have arrived, with temperatures as high as 10 c (50 f) in some areas as warm oceans encourage the formation of thermal domes in most parts of Europe, thereby capturing hot air.
Experts say extreme heat “test our elasticity”
Greenhouse gas emissions that burn fossil fuels are the cause of climate change, and deforestation and industrial practice are other factors, they say. Last year was the hottest one on the planet.
“Extreme heat is testing our resilience and putting millions of health and lives at risk,” said Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environmental Program.
“Our new climate reality means we will never be surprised again when temperatures reach high every year.”
Allianz Research warns some companies of calories to cause warnings of economic activity. British baker Greggs Grg.L warned on Wednesday that its annual profit could be lower than last year's level as the unusually hot temperatures in the UK prevent customers from dining out.
In Germany, people flock to open-air swimming pools and lakes to calm down, and many schools across the country were closed.
Fire brigades are responding to several bushfires in the eastern states of Brandenburg and Saxony.
The upper floors of the Paris Eiffel Tower were closed to visitors on Tuesday, while Brussels’ iconic atoms are made of atomic steel, which is made of stainless steel, closed earlier Wednesday with preventive measures, the third early closure of the week.
Spain has experienced its hottest June this year, and since 2003, France has been the hottest.
–Written by Bernadette Baum; other reports by Giulia Segreti, Miranda Murray, Dominique Vidalon, Emma Pinedo; Editors by Timothy's Legacy and Bernadette Baum
