The heat wave in Europe has claimed at least 18 lives
The extreme heat wave that has swept across much of Europe has already claimed at least 18 lives in France, including two children. Several countries are recording record-high temperatures, and authorities are implementing additional safety measures due to the increased risks to public health amid these abnormal weather conditions.
The highest number of fatalities has been recorded in France so far. Among the deceased are two children, aged two and four, who were found unconscious in a car near their family’s home in the southeastern part of the country. According to the Carpentras prosecutor’s office, medical personnel were unable to save the children.
In addition, three people aged 80 to 95 died in the Bordeaux region over the weekend. According to local authorities, the cause of death was health problems caused by abnormally high temperatures.
Another 13 people died in bodies of water across France on Sunday and Monday. Rescue workers attribute these deaths to people’s attempts to escape the heat.
“Swim only in areas where lifeguards are on duty,” urged Jérôme Boulanger, a representative of the French Civil Security Service.
Meanwhile, the country continues to set temperature records. In Bordeaux, thermometers rose to 41.9 degrees Celsius, setting a new record for the city. In Poitiers, the temperature reached 41.2 degrees, breaking a record that had stood since 1947.
A difficult situation is also being observed in other European countries. In San Sebastián in northern Spain, the temperature approached 40 degrees, which is more than double the average for this time of year.
According to Rubén del Campo, a representative of the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET), temperatures in many regions are 5–10 degrees above the climatic norm, and in some areas, more than 10 degrees above.
In Italy, authorities have declared the highest level of weather danger due to the heat in 12 cities at once. In Turin, energy companies are already reporting localized power outages due to excessive strain on the grid.
In the United Kingdom, forecasters are also warning of possible temperature records. According to forecasts by the country’s Meteorological Office, temperatures could exceed 39 degrees, which would set an all-time record for June.
Experts attribute the current heat wave to an atmospheric phenomenon known as an “omega block.” It occurs when a mass of hot air lingers over a specific area for an extended period. According to climatologists, this time, scorching air currents from the Sahara are flowing into Europe.
It’s not just people who are feeling the effects of the heat. In Belgium, conservationists are reporting mass bird deaths. Because temperatures on building roofs sometimes reach 50–60 degrees, young swallows, starlings, and swifts are jumping out of their nests in an attempt to escape overheating.
According to an April report by the World Meteorological Organization, Europe is warming more than twice as fast as the global average. Scientists attribute the increase in the number of extreme heat waves to climate change, which is increasingly leading to record-breaking temperatures, droughts, fires, and other dangerous weather phenomena, Reuters reports.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center released a forecast for the second month of spring, according to which temperatures and precipitation will remain within the climatic norm.
After a cold winter, Ukrainians are looking forward to spring warmth, but April will bring not only sunshine but also weather “swings.”
