A new wave of extreme heat has hit Europe, causing millions of people to suffer from high temperatures on Thursday. Countries such as France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom were particularly hard hit.
Forecasts indicated that over 135 million people would face temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius. The UK recorded its fifth hottest day in history, and some areas of France exceeded 42 degrees Celsius.
Scientists link the intensification of heatwaves to anthropogenic climate change, as Europe is a continent with the fastest warming rate and is largely unprepared for such extreme conditions. Consecutive periods of drought and heat have triggered record summer forest fires and led to thousands of deaths.
Europe suffers from the heat
The temperature in London reached 38.1 degrees Celsius at Kew Gardens, making it the hottest day of the year and the fifth hottest day in the UK, according to Met Office data. The heat is putting a strain on hospitals, and medical workers are noting an increase in heat-related illnesses. Met Office predicts that the UK will experience its warmest summer ever after temperature records were set in May and June.
Strong heat was also observed in France: Meteo-France registered 42.5 degrees Celsius in Châteaumayenne in the central part of the country, which was the highest temperature for Thursday. In Paris, the temperature rose to 38 degrees Celsius, and much of the country was under a heatwave warning.
In Italy, similar temperatures were expected to affect 29 million people, especially along the western coast, in the Po Valley, in the south, and on the islands. A significant part of the Iberian Peninsula suffered from the heat, with about 25 million people affected in Spain. The Spanish weather agency Aemet recorded 37 degrees Celsius in central regions on Thursday.
Drought-induced forest fires
Prolonged heat and drought have intensified forest fires across Europe. Fires forced evacuations in Greece and Croatia, while firefighters in the UK battled blazes destroying homes in dry conditions.
Extreme weather conditions disrupted power supply. On Thursday, Romania shut down its only nuclear power plant after drought led to the Danube's water level—which cools the facility—dropping to record lows. Hungary avoided shutting down its sole NPP, Paks, whose four reactors are also cooled by the Danube. However, as further river level drops are expected, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyár announced on Wednesday that the government ordered the construction of an underwater dam to control water flow near the station. France also reported reduced nuclear energy output due to drought, intense heat, and jellyfish invasions.
