Heat Wave Shuts Top of Eiffel Tower as Europe Put on Red Alert
The top of the Eiffel Tower will be shut to visitors over the next two days, as temperatures in Paris climb as high as 41C (105.8F) on Tuesday. Red alerts have been issued for the French capital and 15 other departments due to the heat wave that's been baking the country since June 19.
Temperatures across the Iberian peninsula could climb even higher, with 43C forecast for parts of Spain. Similar highs could be reached in Beja in Portugal, where a June record of 46.6C was recorded in Evora on Sunday. London could hit 34C, before cooling from Wednesday.
Climate change is boosting the intensity and frequency of heat waves, stressing power systems and threatening the health of millions of people. The soaring temperatures are also triggering extreme weather events from violent storms to wildfires across Europe, the fastest-warming continent.
About 1,350 French schools are partially or fully closed on Tuesday due to extreme heat conditions, while more than 5,000 homes suffered electricity cuts in the Ardèche and Drôme regions, according to France Info.
Trains between Paris and several cities, including Toulouse and Limousin, have been disrupted due to the heat wave, Ici radio reported. In the city of Bourges in central France, local authorities offered citizens free access to air-conditioned spaces in libraries, conservatories and public halls including in the airport.
In Italy, regional emergency orders have also been issued to ban outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day until mid-September. Temperatures in the tourist mecca of Florence are forecast to climb as high as 40C on Wednesday.
Germany has issued red heat alerts for five districts west of Cologne and three other areas in the south. There are red warnings for violent thunderstorms in the Swiss Alps.
--With assistance from Chiara Albanese and Sofia Horta e Costa.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
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