Millions of Europeans struggle with another wave of extreme heat
PARIS: Millions of people across Europe – particularly in France, Italy, Spain and the UK – sweltered through another wave of extreme temperatures Thursday as the continent’s latest heatwave intensified.
Millions across Europe grappled with another intense heatwave on Thursday, particularly in France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, as the latest heatwave intensified. Weather agencies recorded temperatures exceeding 35C in several European countries, affecting over 135 million people. In the UK, the Met Office recorded a record-high temperature of 38.1C at Kew Gardens in London, making it the nation's fifth-hottest day on record.
Pharmacist Bailey Williamson expressed concern over the unbearable heat, noting that hospital patients were struggling to breathe due to the extreme conditions. Hospital admissions for heat stroke cases had risen, and the NHS was struggling to cope with the surge in patients. Williamson described the situation as "really bad" and emphasized that the heatwaves were a stark reminder of how severe climate change had become.
Tim Wallace, a visitor from Australia, also lamented the heat, stating that he had never seen such extreme conditions and that the situation was concerning. French weather service France Meteo reported temperatures of 38C in Paris, and much of the country had been placed under a heatwave alert. Similarly, Italy forecasted similar temperatures affecting 29 million inhabitants, primarily along the west coast, the Po Valley, the heel of the boot, and the islands.
Spain, too, was expected to be hit, with 25 million people in the Iberian Peninsula likely to be affected. The UK was on track to record its hottest ever summer, with temperatures reaching 36C or higher in 40 locations across central and southern England. AFP calculated these figures using a method similar to Klimadashboard, cross-referencing population density with the weather forecast model from Germany's national meteorological service, published at 0300 GMT.
The analysis likely underestimates the number of people affected in densely populated urban areas due to its 6.5 km resolution, which fails to capture urban heat island effects, where cities can be significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas.
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