Tens of millions of people face a weekend of extreme temperatures in Europe as a deadly heat wave moves east, while German meteorologists warn that more records could be broken and eastern countries issue a series of red alerts for the coming days.
AFP Analysis suggested almost 200 million people would face temperatures of more than 35℃ on Saturday as an unprecedented heatwave that has already seen records fall in Britain, France and Switzerland drags on.
Dozens of people have died from heat-related illnesses or drowning, and emergency services in several countries have said their facilities are overwhelmed.
Street parties and music festivals were canceled in France, Germany and the Netherlands, although Pride Marches would continue in Budapest and Munich despite extreme heat warnings.
And both Switzerland and France had shut down their nuclear reactors because the water used for cooling risked overheating nearby rivers.
The German Weather Service (DWD) issued a red alert for most of the country on Saturday.
“It cannot be ruled out that temperatures will approach 42°C,” the service stated, which would mean another historical heat record just one day after the previous one.
Scientists have shown that recurring heat waves are a clear marker of global warming driven by human burning of fossil fuels, and that they will become more frequent, longer and more intense.
Experts said a “heat dome” of trapped air from North Africa was causing the intense weather, and although the phenomenon was unprecedented, the temperatures were.
‘Everything is hot’
Romania was the latest country to issue a red alert, warning that almost the entire country would face extreme heat from Monday to Wednesday.
Slovakia had issued a similar warning and confirmed that Friday night had been the warmest on record, with temperatures not falling below 26.3℃.
Denis Ovdyienko, a courier, said AFP On Friday in Bratislava he had difficulty keeping cool and had to resort to public sources.
“I feel like everything is warm. The road is warm, my phone is hot, my head is warm, everything is hot,” the 26-year-old said.
“After four o’clock, the fatigue begins to take effect.”
The Czech Republic, Hungary and Moldova were also on high alert over the weekend, and the Balkan countries are also bracing for a difficult few days.
‘Exceptional, extreme’
At least 193 million people in Europe are expected to experience temperatures above 35℃ on Saturday, according to AFP calculations based on forecasts, with Germany being the most affected.
Although many events were cancelled, many in Germany went ahead.
The Berlin Philharmonic said it would continue with its traditional end-of-season open-air concert in Berlin despite temperatures of up to 41C, but that the dress code would be relaxed.
“The gentlemen will perform without jackets, but with a black shirt on top,” an orchestra spokeswoman said.
They would be allowed to roll up their sleeves, and women’s blouses only need to cover the elbow and do not necessarily have to be long-sleeved.
However, Paris authorities forced the abandonment of several events, including the city’s annual Pride March.
Deputy mayor in charge of health Antoine Alibert said the French capital’s hospitals were overwhelmed, echoing comments from several other city leaders.
He told local media that stretchers were “piling up in the hallways,” emergency calls had spiked and hospital visits were increasing.
“We are in the middle of a health crisis. It is an exceptional and extreme heat wave,” he said.
