France reports two deaths in heatwave, 300 hospitalised
With scorching temperatures again today, Spanish officials said a wildfire in Catalonia had killed two people yesterday and France's energy minister reported two deaths with a direct link to the heatwave, with 300 others taken to hospital.
Italy issued red alerts for 18 cities because of the extreme heat and Turkey has been tackling wildfires in what meteorologists say is an "exceptional" heatwave because it has come so early in Europe's summer.
The blaze in Torrefeta in the Catalonia region of Spain destroyed several farms and affected an area stretching for about 40km, officials said. It was largely contained though more wind and thunder storms were expected.
"The fire was extremely violent and erratic due to storms and strong winds, generating a convection cloud that complicated extinguishing efforts," the fire service said.
Authorities in the Spanish city of Barcelona said they were also looking into whether the death of a street cleaner at the weekend was heat-related.
Spain experienced its hottest June on record this year, and France had its hottest June since 2003, Energy MinisterAgnes Pannier-Runacher said.
Weather forecaster Meteo France said red alerts remained for several areas of central France, but that heat was easing in the west, though intense thunderstorms with possible heavy bursts of rainfall were expected in many parts of the east.
Temperature highs were expected around 39 Celsius, with up to 34C in Paris, and 36C to 38C in Strasbourg, Lyon, Grenoble and Avignon.
In Italy, Florence was expected to bear the brunt of the heat with a top temperature of 39C during the day.
Red alerts were issued in 18 cities, including Milan and Rome.
There was a risk of violent and sudden rain and storms, particularly along the central Appennine mountain region and Sardinia and Sicily.
Swiss utility Axpo shut down one reactor unit at the Beznau nuclear power plant and halved output at another yesterday because of the high temperature of river water.
Water is used for cooling and other purposes at nuclear power plants, and restrictions were expected to continue as temperatures are monitored.
Scientists say greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are a cause of climate change, with deforestation and industrial practices being other contributing factors. Last year was the planet's hottest on record.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
Heatwave and wildfires across Europe leave 10 people dead as 300 taken to hospital in France due to high temperatures
latest | France reports two deaths in heatwave, 300 taken to hospitalItaly issues red alerts in 18 cities; two men die on beachSwiss reactor shut down due to high river-water temperaturesFour die in Spain, two of them in wildfireTurkey, after 50,000 evacuated earlier, says fires contained ©Reuters Four people died in Spain, two in France and two in Italy as an early summer heatwave continued to grip much of Europe on Wednesday, triggering health alerts and forest fires and forcing the closure of a nuclear reactor at a Swiss power plant. Spanish officials said a wildfire in Catalonia had killed two people a day earlier, and authorities reported heatwave-linked deaths also in Extremadura and Cordoba. France's energy minister reported two deaths linked to the heat, with 300 others taken to hospital.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- RTÉ News
France reports two deaths in heatwave, 300 hospitalised
France has reported two heat-related deaths, while wildfires have killed two people in Spain in a heatwave that has gripped Europe and forced the closure of a nuclear reactor at a Swiss power plant. With scorching temperatures again today, Spanish officials said a wildfire in Catalonia had killed two people yesterday and France's energy minister reported two deaths with a direct link to the heatwave, with 300 others taken to hospital. Italy issued red alerts for 18 cities because of the extreme heat and Turkey has been tackling wildfires in what meteorologists say is an "exceptional" heatwave because it has come so early in Europe's summer. The blaze in Torrefeta in the Catalonia region of Spain destroyed several farms and affected an area stretching for about 40km, officials said. It was largely contained though more wind and thunder storms were expected. "The fire was extremely violent and erratic due to storms and strong winds, generating a convection cloud that complicated extinguishing efforts," the fire service said. Authorities in the Spanish city of Barcelona said they were also looking into whether the death of a street cleaner at the weekend was heat-related. Spain experienced its hottest June on record this year, and France had its hottest June since 2003, Energy MinisterAgnes Pannier-Runacher said. Weather forecaster Meteo France said red alerts remained for several areas of central France, but that heat was easing in the west, though intense thunderstorms with possible heavy bursts of rainfall were expected in many parts of the east. Temperature highs were expected around 39 Celsius, with up to 34C in Paris, and 36C to 38C in Strasbourg, Lyon, Grenoble and Avignon. In Italy, Florence was expected to bear the brunt of the heat with a top temperature of 39C during the day. Red alerts were issued in 18 cities, including Milan and Rome. There was a risk of violent and sudden rain and storms, particularly along the central Appennine mountain region and Sardinia and Sicily. Swiss utility Axpo shut down one reactor unit at the Beznau nuclear power plant and halved output at another yesterday because of the high temperature of river water. Water is used for cooling and other purposes at nuclear power plants, and restrictions were expected to continue as temperatures are monitored. Scientists say greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are a cause of climate change, with deforestation and industrial practices being other contributing factors. Last year was the planet's hottest on record.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
Full list of European countries under heatwave alerts as mercury soars to 46C
The continent is enduring its first major heatwave of the summer, with two deaths linked to extreme heat in Italy and hundreds of schools closed in France. The record-high temperature of 46C was reported in the town of El Granado in southern Spain on Saturday, according to Spain's national weather service, with the mercury also set to reach 40C in Paris. Dozens of heat warnings are in place across France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and well as the Balkans, according to weather aggregator MeteoAlarm. 'Extreme heat is no longer a rare event – it has become the new normal,' UN secretary general Antonio Guterres warned. 'The planet is getting hotter & more dangerous – no country is immune.' Here is a full list of European countries currently in the grip of a heatwave and the current advice being given to locals and tourists. Spain There were 118 heat alerts in place across Spain as of midday local time on Tuesday, according to MeteoAlarm. These cover virtually the entire country, with the exception of areas of the south east coast such as Almeria and swathes of the north east such as Oviedo. The mercury will rise above 40C for the next three days in Seville, where night-time temperatures will remain at around 25C until Thursday morning. Doctors have expressed alarm at the combination of hot days and uncomfortably warm nights, which can place lethal stress on the human body. Local authorities have urged anyone in an area affected by a severe high temperature warning to take precautions and check the weather forecast. The warnings also state that damage to properties may occur, while vulnerable people are at particular risk. ADVERTISEMENT Meanwhile, there are also warnings for storms and heavy rainfall in eastern regions of the country including inland areas of Valencia and Catalonia, where as much as 20mm of rain could fall. Italy There are heat alerts covering eight of Italy's regions: Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Lazio, Puglia, Sardinia, Tuscany and Umbria, according to MeteoAlarm. Temperatures of up to 42C have been forecast in parts of Italy, according to the monitoring website. Two people have already died in the country due to weather. In Bologna a 47-year-old died after falling ill on a construction site while a 70-year-old man was reported drowned during flash flooding at a tourist resort to the west of Turin. A warning for thunderstorms is also in place for the central Italian region of Emilia-Romagna and the northern Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige. France There are several heat alerts in place across France as of midday on Tuesday. The French capital, Paris, is forecast to reach a blistering 40 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. Météo-France has placed multiple departments under its highest red alert, with the Paris region experiencing the most severe impact. A red alert means that the weather is 'very dangerous' and major damage and accidents are likely. The Education Ministry has confirmed that over 1,300 schools are expected to be partially or fully closed on Tuesday as the country battles a severe heatwave. The only areas of France that are not covered by a heatwave are the north east tip, such as Brest and Saint-Brieuc. The extreme heat also raised the risk of field fires as farmers in France, the European Union's biggest grain producer, start harvesting this year's crop. Some farmers were working through the night to avoid harvesting during peak temperatures in the afternoon. In the Indre region of central France, which has seen a spate of field fires since late June, authorities banned field work between 2pm and 6pm. Greece There are 14 weather alerts in place across Greece. Last week, a large wildfire broke out south of Athens on Thursday, forcing evacuations and road closures near the ancient Temple of Poseidon. Strong winds spread the flames, damaging homes and sending smoke across the sky. Belgium Belgium is also experiencing unusually high temperatures, with MeteoAlarm showing that orange heatwave warnings are in place in areas including Bruges and Antwerp. Temperatures will reach 32C in the capital Brussels on Tuesday, soaring to around 33C in Bruges, according to the Met Office. Portugal In Portugal, 18 heat alerts are in place including in the capital Lisbon, Braga and Faro. A temperature reading in Mora, about 60 miles east of Lisbon, turned up a suspected record-high June temperature of 46.6C on Sunday. Into this week, temperatures are set to cool slightly between 31C and 34C, according to Portugal's national weather service. Netherlands Temperatures will reach around 32C in parts of the Netherlands on Tuesday. There are 28 heat alerts in place across the usually mild country, including in Amsterdam and the Hague. The country's meteorological institute warned of 'persistent heat' and for people to be aware of the unusual weather. '[There] are some health risks amongst vulnerable people like the elderly and very young are possible,' it warned. Germany In Germany, temperatures are set to reach a sweltering 37C on Wednesday. There are 122 weather warnings in place across the country, including Germany's main forecaster, Deutscher Wetterdienst, warned that 'severe heat stress' is expected in the coming days. '[There will be] less cooling at night, especially in the densely built-up urban areas of Berlin,' they said. Austria By Thursday, temperatures will soar to 34C. There are hundreds of heat alerts in place across the country, according to MeteoAlarm. Czechia In Czechia, temperatures will reach 33C on Wednesday. There are six heat warnings in place across the country this week. Luxembourg Two heat alerts are in place here. Temperatures could reach 34C by Wednesday. Switzerland Temperatures will reach 34C on Wednesday, according to the Met Office. There are a few weather alerts in place.
