Extreme temperatures above 40°C cause deaths in France and raise alerts in Spain and Belgium
The high temperatures hitting Europe have caused the death of three people in France, while several countries on the continent have issued heat wave warnings for this week. The extreme situation led to the closure or modification of schedules in almost 2,700 French schools, highlighting the immediate impact of the adverse climate on routine.
France faces record heat and deaths from health problems
On Monday, the city of Bordeaux, located in southwestern France, recorded temperatures that exceeded 42 degrees Celsius. Meteorological agency Meteo France confirmed that 49 administrative regions in the country were under red alert for the heat wave, indicating weather conditions of imminent risk to public health.
Stephanie Rist, French Health Minister, warned in an interview with TF1 that the country is preparing for “several days of very, very hot weather”, with no exact prediction of when temperatures will begin to decrease. The statement reinforces the severity and expected duration of the phenomenon.
The deaths in the Bordeaux region occurred over the weekend, involving three elderly people aged between 80 and 95 years. Sophie Brocas, a representative of the local government, told France TV on Sunday that the deaths were the result of health problems worsened by high temperatures.
Extension of the heat wave and effects in Spain
Spain is also suffering from intense heat, with meteorological agency Aemet issuing a red alert for the Basque Country in the north. The forecast indicated that the city of San Sebastián would reach 40°C, a value that more than doubles the historical average for this time of year, according to data from the Reuters Climate Monitor.
Surprisingly, San Sebastián was expected to be hotter than cities in the south of the country, such as Seville and Córdoba, traditionally known for recording the highest temperatures during the Spanish summer. This data highlights the atypicality of the heat wave.
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Rubén del Campo, Aemet spokesperson, explained that the temperatures observed are between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius above normal for this season. In some areas of the north, this difference may be even greater, exceeding the historical average by more than 10 degrees.
Even overnight, many regions of Spain received no relief. Temperatures did not fall below 25°C and, in places such as the southwestern province of Almería, they reached 30°C, making natural cooling and rest difficult for the population.
Europe records significant thermal deviation in global comparison
Monday marked Europe as the continent with the greatest deviation from the historical temperature average. With an average maximum of 24°C, the continent was 4.1°C above what was usual between 1961 and 1990. To contextualize the intensity, Asia and North America registered smaller deviations, of 2°C and 1.3°C above the historical average, respectively, highlighting the seriousness of the European situation.
Environmental impacts and worker protection measures
Wildlife shelters in northern Europe have struggled to cope with the growing number of rescued animals suffering from the effects of the heat. Birds such as swifts, swallows, sparrows and starlings, which build nests on rooftops, were particularly affected by the high temperatures.
Romaine de Jaegere, biologist and founder of the Wild Animal Rehabilitation Center (Creaves) in Belgium, explained to Reuters that temperatures on rooftops can reach up to 60 degrees Celsius. Therefore, the birds prefer to risk falling rather than “cook” in their nests, leading the shelter to receive 150 animals in the last three days.
In response to the crisis, Spain’s Ministry of Labor said on Monday that it is monitoring companies’ compliance with labor laws. These standards allow employees to adjust or reduce their work hours when orange or red weather alerts are issued. Additionally, workers may be entitled to up to four days of paid leave if they are unable to get to work due to extreme weather conditions.
