The extreme heat wave heatwave continues to batter nearly all of Europe, with many countries recording record-high temperatures and authorities taking emergency protective measures.

According to the French News Agency, in France, the meteorological service Météo-France estimates that the red alerts will be lifted on Sunday evening. However, 37 regions remain at the highest alert level.

Tragedy in France Amid the Heat Wave

The extreme temperatures had tragic consequences. An 18-month-old infant lost his life after being found in a state of heatstroke inside a car parked in the parking lot of a university hospital in Marseille.

A few days earlier, two children aged two and four years old were found dead inside their family’s car in a residential parking lot in Karpandra, while another three-year-old child died after being left alone in a vehicle during the heatwave.

Viral images of panic over air conditioners

The extreme heat also caused unprecedented scenes at a store in France.

In videos that went went viral, dozens of shoppers are waiting outside a store in the Sambre-le-Tour area, and as soon as the doors open, they rush in en masse to snap up the last available air conditioners and fans.

Within a matter of seconds, the shelves were almost completely emptied.

Temperature record in Switzerland

Switzerland set a new all-time June record, as in Basel, the temperature reached 38.8 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous high of 38 degrees recorded just one day earlier.

The extreme conditions even affected electricity generation.

The nuclear power plant in Beznau nuclear power plant suspended operations to prevent the water used to cool the reactors from overheating.

For the same reason, in France, three nuclear reactors were taken offline, limiting electricity production.

Germany broke the 41-degree barrier

A new record high was also set in Germany.

According to preliminary data from the Federal Meteorological Service, in the district of Saarbrücken, a temperature of 41.3 degrees Celsius was recorded.

Meteorologist Uwe Baumgarten told AFP: ‘It is very likely that this temperature will be reached again tomorrow, if not slightly exceeded.’

Transportation and Infrastructure Issues

The high temperatures also caused problems with travel.

In Belgium, passengers on two Eurostar trains were evacuated due to technical issues related to extreme weather conditions.

In the United Kingdom, the temperature reached 36.9 degrees Celsius in Suffolk, setting a new June record for the third consecutive day.

Red alert in the Netherlands

For the first time this year, the the Netherlands has been placed under a red alert due to the heat.

Temperatures are expected to reach 40 degrees in some areas, most schools remain closed, and authorities are urging citizens to limit their travel.

Meanwhile, drawbridges are being cooled as a precaution to prevent problems caused by metal expansion, while a major electronic music festival was canceled due to the extreme weather conditions.


“Red” and the Balkans

The heatwave is now spreading to the Balkans. The MeteoAlarm service has issued a red alert for much of the region, while in Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia, and Montenegro, temperatures are expected to reach up to 39 degrees Celsius in the coming days.

According to estimates by AFP, approximately 193 million Europeans will face temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, while more than 404 million residents will experience temperatures exceeding 30 degrees, confirming the scale of the unprecedented heat wave affecting the continent.