Europe heatwave: UK issues rare red warning three days in a row; France reports 55 drownings
A severe heatwave continues across Europe, with the UK issuing its first-ever three-day red heat warning for southeast England, France reporting 55 drownings since the heatwave began, and scientists confirming climate change is unequivocally responsible for the extreme temperatures.
The UK Met Office has extended a red heat alert into Friday for a large area of southeast England, including London, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Hampshire, and Kent – the first time such warnings have been issued for three consecutive days. Amber heat warnings remain in place for a wider area, while parts of Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland face yellow thunderstorm warnings on Friday.
In France, Sports Minister Marina Ferrari told Franceinfo that 55 people have drowned since the heatwave began, warning the situation could worsen. Two-thirds of drownings occurred at unsupervised or unauthorized swimming areas. Sixty-one French departments remain under the highest red extreme heat alert.
Scientists released a study Friday stating that human-caused climate change is “unequivocally” responsible for the heat that broke records in Britain, France, Spain, and Switzerland. The World Weather Attribution group said such temperatures in June would have been “virtually impossible” 50 years ago. Lead author Theodore Keeping from Imperial College London noted that a similar heatwave in June 1976 would have been 3.5°C cooler during the day.
As the heatwave moves eastward, extreme temperatures are expected in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and central Europe. Frankfurt is forecast to reach 39°C, Amsterdam 37°C, Brussels and Geneva 36°C. In central Europe, temperatures will peak over the weekend, with Berlin near 40°C on Saturday and Prague and Warsaw on Sunday.
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) reported its highest number of life-threatening emergencies on Wednesday, with a 50% increase in such calls compared to a typical Wednesday in June and a 30% rise in cardiac arrests. Chief operating officer Craig Harman urged people to drink responsibly during the World Cup celebrations. In Paris, cardiac arrest callouts quadrupled, officials said. Italy reported five heat-related deaths on Wednesday.
Starting noon, Paris imposed a ban on drinking alcohol in public during certain times of the day, including takeaway sales, citing overwhelmed hospitals at “saturation point.” Meanwhile, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency issued flood alerts for all areas except Shetland as rainier conditions approach from the northwest.
