Europe under the grip of extreme heat / More than 1,300 dead, 150 million residents exposed to intense heat

The European continent has been hit by a severe heatwave, one of the strongest in recent years, accompanied by record temperatures, loss of life, large-scale fires and significant disruption to transport and services.

In several countries, institutions have activated alert status, while weather experts warn that the scorching temperatures could be followed by intense storms and other extreme weather phenomena.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that since June 21, more than 1,300 excess deaths linked to very high temperatures have been recorded in Europe.

In France, health authorities announced that since Wednesday last week alone, around 1,000 more deaths than the normal average have been recorded. The figure could rise further once all death certificates have been verified. In Paris and surrounding areas, morgues are nearing maximum capacity, while the French government has held special meetings to assess the impact of the heat and the measures that should be planned for similar situations in the future.

Record temperatures have also been registered in the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland. The heat has caused numerous problems on the rail network, with delays reported, passengers stranded and air-conditioning systems unable to cope with temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius.

In Germany, authorities are also dealing with major forest fires. In Berlin, police used water cannons to cool residents gathered in public spaces. In some areas, efforts to extinguish the flames have been made more difficult by unexploded munitions left over from World War II, which has also forced the evacuation of residents.

Italy, meanwhile, is awaiting the peak of this heatwave, with temperatures forecast to reach up to 41 degrees Celsius in the Po Valley and 37-39 degrees across most of the country. According to meteorologists, this period is expected to be followed by the arrival of cooler air masses from the Atlantic, which could trigger severe storms, heavy rainfall, hail and strong winds, first in the north and later in the central and southern regions.