A record-breaking heatwave sweeping across Europe has turned deadly, with at least four confirmed fatalities in Spain and France and widespread disruption due to fires, heat-related illnesses, and power outages.
In Spain’s Catalonia region, two people, a 32-year-old farm owner and a 45-year-old worker,were found dead after a blaze tore through the rural Torrefeta area near the town of Coscó.
Firefighters discovered their bodies as they battled to contain the fire late Tuesday, working overnight to define the perimeter of the Torrefeta and nearby Florejacs fires, News.Az reports, citing BBC.
Catalan emergency services said the fire had affected a perimeter of approximately 6,500 hectares (25 square miles), as regional president Salvador Illa announced plans to visit the area.
The deadly fires come amid what Spain’s weather agency Aemet described as the hottest June ever recorded in the country. The national average temperature reached 23.6°C (74.5°F), surpassing even typical July and August figures.
Southern Spain is facing more intense heat, with temperatures in Córdoba expected to reach 41°C on Wednesday.
In France, two more people died from heat-related illnesses, the country’s ecological transition minister confirmed, while more than 300 individuals were treated by emergency services on Tuesday alone. France, which registered its second-hottest June on record, behind only June 2023, remains under red alert for heat in four departments: Aube, Cher, Loiret, and Yonne.
Highs of 37°C are forecast in the northeastern city of Metz, with storms predicted for some eastern regions.
Italy is also feeling the heat’s impact. In the town of Tezze sul Brenta, two construction workers collapsed while working outdoors. One was resuscitated and airlifted to hospital in a coma, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
Soaring energy use due to air conditioning led to blackouts in Florence’s city center and parts of Bergamo. Overheated underground cables left residents, hotels, shops, and ATM machines without power for several hours on Tuesday, affecting business operations and public safety systems.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned that human-induced climate change is driving more frequent and intense heatwaves.
Urban centers are especially vulnerable due to the "urban heat island" effect, which makes cities significantly hotter than surrounding areas, News.Az reports, citing BBC.
“The additional heat in cities exacerbates heat stress and can increase mortality during hot periods,” the WMO said in a statement.
Climate experts say these events will become more common as the planet warms. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has repeatedly emphasized the urgent need for emissions reductions to slow global heating.
As Europe battles this latest climate emergency, public health authorities are urging residents to stay hydrated, avoid outdoor activity during peak hours, and check in on vulnerable individuals such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.
