Khaberni - The early heat wave striking Europe continues to cause chaos in many countries, with temperatures rising to record levels and red warnings spreading across the continent. It has also prompted many countries to take precautionary measures, including closing schools in France and Germany and canceling train services in Belgium.
The French meteorological authority announced that Wednesday was the hottest day in the country's history, surpassing the temperatures recorded on Tuesday.
The national heat index (average daytime and nighttime temperatures) reached 30 degrees Celsius, breaking the record set on Tuesday of 29.8 degrees. On Wednesday, the United Kingdom recorded the highest temperature for June in its history, with 35.7 degrees Celsius south of London, surpassing the previous record of 35.6 degrees Celsius set in 1976.
The British meteorological authority stated that the temperature was recorded in Charlwood near Gatwick Airport, and the UK is experiencing a second consecutive month of record heat.
The heat warning issued by the British meteorological authority continues until Thursday, with temperatures expected to reach 37 degrees Celsius in southern England and up to 35 degrees Celsius in southeast Wales. London may see levels up to 39 degrees Celsius. Several train operating companies in the UK, including the express train connecting to London Gatwick Airport, had to cancel or reduce services on Tuesday to avoid problems caused by the heat. Railway companies urged people to only travel if it was "absolutely necessary" on Wednesday and Thursday. Conditions are expected to improve by Friday.
The Spanish state meteorological agency "AEMET" announced that Monday and Tuesday recorded the highest average temperatures for June in the Iberian Peninsula since at least 1950.
The agency added that the heatwave hitting Spain and much of Europe had caused record highs across the country. On Tuesday, the province of Cantabria in the town of Tama recorded 43.7 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature ever recorded in the region for any month of the year, while many areas in the north remain under the highest heat warnings, according to the Spanish state meteorological agency.
Italy has placed 16 cities on red alert today due to the heatwave, including Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, and Bologna. Residents are advised to eat light meals and stay indoors during the hottest times of the day. The increased use of home air conditioning units has led to power outages in Milan and Turin, while hospitals in the city of Parma saw a sharp increase in emergency room visits. Rome's public bus company "ATAC" said the extreme heat put a severe strain on its fleet of electric buses, as increased air conditioning usage forced the buses to return early to garages for recharging.
This is the second heatwave to hit Western Europe in less than a month, at a time when scientists agree that climate change caused by human activities is exacerbating the severity of extreme weather events, especially heatwaves.
