The World Health Organization announced today that more than 1,300 deaths are attributed to the heat wave that has been affecting Europe since June 21.

Temperatures above 35 degrees are expected to affect at least 191 million people.

“More than 1,300 additional deaths have been recorded since June 21 in connection with high temperatures in Europe,” WHO Director-General Tendros Adanom Gebreyesus stated in a post on X.

“Right now, 150 million people are living in conditions of extreme heat; hundreds of people have died, schools have closed, and power grids are under severe strain,” he added.

At least 191 million residents are expected to experience temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius at some point today, according to estimates by the French News Agency, a slightly lower figure compared to yesterday.

Temperatures are expected to reach or even exceed 40 degrees Celsius in parts of Europe, while thunderstorms are occurring in other regions, with France reporting 1,000 additional deaths during the heatwave.

Today, the Czech Republic set a new temperature record of 41.1 degrees Celsius in Doksany, north of Prague.

“This is the first time we’ve recorded a temperature of 41 degrees Celsius in our official network of weather stations. Temperatures continue to rise, so this is not the definitive peak” of the phenomenon, the CHMI meteorological service noted in a post on X.

High temperatures are being recorded in Germany, Poland, and Italy, while parts of France are facing thunderstorms.

Record high of 41.7 degrees Celsius in Germany

Germany recorded a new all-time temperature record of 41.7 degrees Celsius, in Koschen, Brandenburg, on the border with Poland, according to preliminary data from the country’s meteorological service, the DWD. In Berlin, police plan to once again use high-pressure water cannons to help residents of the capital cool off.

At the same time, train service was reduced on a major rail line in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, while tram service was suspended in the eastern city of Leipzig. Many people remained confined to their homes, reluctant to go outside until sunset, according to German media reports.

In Rome, Pope Leo thanked the faithful for attending Sunday prayers in St. Peter’s Square, despite the stifling conditions.

Power Outages in France

In France, the heatwave appears to be easing, and the red alert now applies to two departments in the eastern part of the country, with authorities expected to lift the warnings at 10:00 p.m. local time today.

However, the country’s Health Minister, Stéphanie Rist, told the newspaper La Tribune that the impact of the heat wave could last up to 10 days after temperatures drop. “This episode is not over,” she warned while speaking on the BFM television network.

Moreover, the storms that hit parts of France last night plunged thousands of households into darkness.

This afternoon, 36,000 households in northern and central France remain without power, according to the electricity company Enedis.

Storms are also expected in Germany tomorrow or the day after, with meteorologists forecasting milder temperatures for much of Western Europe this week, as the heat wave moves further into Central Europe and the Balkans.