Europe is going through an intense spell of heat that has pushed temperatures beyond 40°C in several regions. It is forcing disruptions across transport, public events and daily routines. From France and Spain to the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, the hot weather has spread across large parts of the continent, prompting authorities to issue multiple alerts as weather conditions continue to worsen.
France has been among the worst affected. Temperatures in several western and central areas are expected to cross 40°C. Some regions of the country touched 45°C earlier in the week. A red alert has been issued across nearly one-third of the country as officials try to manage the situation.
In the southern town of Carpentras, two young children were found dead in a parked car in a residential area. Aged two and four, the children were discovered in the Bois d’Ubac neighbourhood. The police were alerted shortly after 1 pm local time.
Carpentras prosecutor Hélène Morgetas said, “The cause of death has not so far been established, but the heatwave is being considered as a major factor in the investigation.”
The temperature in the town is expected to reach around 39°C.
In the United Kingdom, the heatwave has triggered warnings of serious transport and service disruption as temperatures move towards 40°C. The Met Office has issued alerts warning of possible breakdowns in everyday services, including travel delays on roads, railways and air routes.
Officials have warned that extreme heat could affect infrastructure, with roads softening and railway tracks bending under high temperatures. There are also concerns over pressure on essential services, including electricity, water, gas and mobile networks.
The UK Health Security Agency has upgraded heat health alerts to red for much of England. Amber alerts continue in some regions through the week. Authorities have advised that health risks are expected to rise as temperatures are high.
Spain has also been hit hard. Temperatures there are expected to cross 40°C in central and northeastern regions. Weather agencies have issued orange and red alerts across large parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Mallorca.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) cancelled a public screening in Plaza de Colón, where fans were expected to gather to watch a World Cup match on a large screen.
Germany is dealing with temperatures between 30°C and 39°C. Strong storm warnings have been issued in parts of the east. In Berlin, heavy rain and strong winds disrupted outdoor events, including a major music festival, while spectators were cleared from a tennis venue as weather conditions changed.
In Italy, cities such as Rome and Florence are under heat alerts. In Rome, visitors at St Peter’s Square used umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun as Pope Francis led the Sunday prayer from the Apostolic Palace window.
The impact of extreme heat in Europe has been documented over recent years. The World Health Organisation’s European office reported earlier this month that more than 200,000 heat-related deaths have been recorded across the continent in the past four years.
United Nations agencies have also warned that temperature records may continue to break over the next five years as climate patterns further change.
Experts said the present conditions are not unexpected. “Human-driven climate change has laid the groundwork for these situations. It has added extra heat into the atmosphere and made temperatures more extreme than before,” they said.
A recent study also found that human-induced climate change contributed to about 1,500 deaths during an unusual heatwave in Europe earlier this year.
Meteorologists say the ongoing situation is caused by a “heat dome” effect, where warm air gets trapped over large regions of Western and Central Europe. This prevents cooler air from entering and causes temperatures to rise over several days.
