Extreme heat continues in central and eastern Europe, with temperatures of 38°C expected
A heatwave persists across central and eastern Europe, breaking records and causing wildfires, train disruptions, and fatalities. France is investigating excess deaths linked to the heat.
The heatwave that affected much of Europe last week continues to impact central and eastern Europe on Monday. Belgrade, Bratislava, Budapest, and Warsaw are all expected to see temperatures up to 38°C. Czechia, Germany, and Poland broke their all-time high temperature records on Sunday.
In Germany, record-high temperatures sparked wildfires. In Gohrischheide, eastern Germany, a large forest fire broke out in an area still contaminated with World War II ammunition, complicating firefighting efforts. In the southwest, near the village of Traisen, a forest fire in an area with unexploded ordnance forced about 650 people to evacuate on Sunday. Berlin police used water cannons to cool crowds arriving at the Olympic stadium for a Bruno Mars concert.
Over the weekend, multiple European train operators reported significant disruptions, including delays, overcrowded trains, and malfunctioning air conditioning. Issues were reported with Czech, German, and Polish trains. The Czech operator České dráhy explained on social media that the air conditioning systems are not designed for temperatures of 40°C.
Meanwhile, France is counting the human cost of the heatwave. Public Health France reported a surge in deaths, particularly among the elderly. Deaths exceeded 1,200 on Wednesday, rose to over 1,400 on Thursday, and were hundreds above normal on Friday. The red extreme heat alert ends today, but Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will chair a cross-governmental crisis meeting to discuss the week's events and prepare for potential future heatwaves.
