Two die in Spain wildfire, two deaths in France from European heatwave
Lifeguards watch beachgoers as they bathe at the Beach of Catalans on a sunny and warm summer day in Marseille as an early summer heatwave hits France, July 1 , 2025. REUTERS/Manon Cruz
LONDON - Wildfires have killed two people in Spain and two others have died in France because of a heatwave that has gripped Europe and forced the closure of a nuclear reactor at a Swiss power plant.
With scorching temperatures again on Wednesday, Spanish officials said a wildfire in Catalonia had killed two people a day earlier 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 40 km (25 miles), official said. It was largely contained though more wind and thunder storms were expected on Wednesday.
"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 on Tuesday they were also looking into whether the death of a street sweeper at the weekend was heat-related.
Spain experienced its hottest June on record this year, and France had its hottest June since 2003, Energy Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said.
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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 (102.2°F), with up to 34 C in Paris, and 36 C to 38 C in Strasbourg, Lyon, Grenoble and Avignon.
In Italy, Florence was expected to bear the brunt of the heat with a top temperature of 39 C 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 on Tuesday 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. REUTERS
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Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Texas flood victims: What we know
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The death toll is expected to rise, and forecasters warn of more rain on July 6 in areas that were already hard hit. The flash flooding on the Guadalupe River in central Texas has killed at least 79 people. Local officials in Kerr County said on July 6 that 10 girls and one counselor from Camp Mystic, an all-girls' Christian summer camp, are still missing. On July 6, near the bank of the Guadalupe River in Ingram, the search for survivors grew more desperate as volunteers prepared horses to help search and rescue efforts. Flood damage made it difficult for vehicles to reach many areas. The death toll is expected to rise, and forecasters warn of more rain on July 6 in areas that were already hard hit. Here's what we know about those who were killed. Chloe Childress Ms Chloe Childress, 18, a counselor at Camp Mystic, died when floodwaters swept through the camp, according to the school she had recently graduated from. Mr Jonathan Eades, head of school at the Kinkaid School in Houston, wrote in a statement that Ms Childress lost her life upholding a 'selfless and fierce commitment to others'. 'She was wise beyond her years, with a steady compassion that settled a room,' he wrote. 'Whether it was sharing her own challenges to ease someone's burden or quietly cheering a teammate or classmate through a tough day, Chloe made space for others to feel safe, valued, and brave.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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Mr Eastland and his wife Tweety have run the nearly century-old Christian summer camp on the banks of the Guadalupe for decades. He was reportedly swept away while trying to rescue children from rising floodwaters. 'If he wasn't going to die of natural causes, this was the only other way, saving the girls that he so loved and cared for,' Mr Eastland's grandson George wrote on Instagram. 'That's the man my grandfather was. A husband, father, grandfather, and mentor to thousands of young women, he no longer walks this earth, but his impact will never leave the lives he touched.' Julian Ryan Exhausted from a long night working as a dishwasher at a local restaurant, Mr Julian Ryan, 27, was asleep in his trailer home in Ingram, Texas, when the river reached his front door on July 4 before dawn. By the time he and his fiancee Christinia Wilson woke up, water was up to their ankles. His mother Marilyn Ryan and his 6-year-old son had already rushed into the room for safety. In what seemed like a blink, Ms Wilson said, the water was up to their waists; their front door had burst open and the river had gushed into the house. Their mattress began to float, so they placed their 13-month-old son and the 6-year-old atop it. The bedroom door was stuck shut from the water pressure on the other side. In a panic, Mr Ryan tried to punch through a window so they could escape. But the sharp glass cut nearly through his arm, causing him to bleed profusely, Ms Wilson and Ms Marilyn Ryan said on July 5 in a phone interview. They called 911 again and again, but no one came, both women said. With the water rising to their chins, the women shouted for help as Mr Ryan started to lose consciousness, they said. 'He had lost so much blood and knew he wasn't going to make it,' Ms Wilson said. 'He said, 'I love you. I'm so sorry.' In minutes, he was gone.' Ms Wilson said the trailer was torn in half by the force of the water, yet everyone in the family but Julian survived. 'He was the best father, and was always such a happy person who was never above helping people, no matter what it cost,' she said. 'He died trying to save us.' Blair and Brooke Harber Two young sisters, Blair and Brooke Harber, were staying in a cabin along the Guadalupe with their grandparents when their cabin was washed away, according to the Reverend Joshua J. Whitfield, the pastor of their Dallas church, St Rita Catholic Community. Blair, 13, was headed to eighth grade at St Rita's school. Brooke, 11, was bound for sixth grade there. Both girls died and their grandparents are still missing, the pastor said on July 5 in a letter to parishioners. Their parents – Ms Annie Harber, a first and second grade instructional specialist at St Rita's, and Mr RJ Harber – were staying in another cabin and are safe, he said. 'In moments like this, we are reminded of life's fragility and the lasting power of faith,' Mr Whitfield wrote, adding, 'we will honor Blair and Brooke's lives, the light they shared, and the joy they brought to everyone who knew them'. A prayer service for the girls was held at the church on the afternoon of July 5. A photo of the service shows a packed house. Katheryn Eads Ms Katheryn Eads, 52, died after being swept away in the floodwaters, her husband Brian Eads said in a brief phone call July 5. The couple were awakened by rushing water surrounding them inside their recreational vehicle, Mr Eads said. They managed to get out, and a man driving another RV offered them a ride. They made it across the street when the vehicle they were in died, Mr Eads said. The couple was swept out of the truck by water. Mr Eads said he was struck in the head by debris and lost track of his wife. He survived by holding onto a tree until he reached dry land, he said. Sarah Marsh Sarah Marsh, an 8-year-old student at Cherokee Bend Elementary in Mountain Brook, Alabama, was one of the campers at Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas. In a statement posted online, Mr Stewart Welch, the mayor of Mountain Brook, a suburb of Birmingham, confirmed that Sarah was among those who died in the flood and said that the city was heartbroken. 'This is an unimaginable loss for her family, her school and our entire community,' he wrote. 'Sarah's passing is a sorrow shared by all of us, and our hearts are with those who knew her and loved her.' In a text message on July 5, Sarah's grandmother, Ms Debbie Ford Marsh, said that Sarah's parents were not able to talk and declined to comment on behalf of the family. Earlier, on Facebook, she posted: 'We will always feel blessed to have had this beautiful spunky ray of light in our lives. She will live on in our hearts forever!' Janie Hunt Janie Hunt, 9, of Dallas, died in the flash flooding, her grandmother Margaret Hunt said in an interview. Janie was also attending Camp Mystic. It was her first time there as a camper, and she attended along with six of her cousins, who were safe, Ms Hunt said. Ms Hunt said she was in Vermont when she got a call from her daughter, Ms Anne Lindsay Hunt, telling her about the flooding. Janie's parents drove to Ingram Elementary, the reunification center, where they were told to visit a funeral home and identify their daughter. Janie, a great-granddaughter of the oil baron William Herbert Hunt, was the eldest of three children. Bobby and Amanda Martin Mr Bobby Martin, 46, and his wife Amanda, 44, were among those killed, Bobby Martin's father, Mr John Keith Martin, told The New York Times. The couple, from Odessa, Texas, were reportedly camping by the Guadalupe River when their RV was swept away by rising floodwaters. The elder Martin said one of his grandchildren and that grandchild's girlfriend were with the couple and were still missing. 'He was an adventurous man, adventurous and outgoing. He had many good friends, because he was a good friend,' Mr John Keith Martin said of his son. 'He's just incredible.' Jane Ragsdale Ms Jane Ragsdale, director and co-owner of the Heart O' the Hills summer camp in Kerr County, is among those confirmed dead in the flooding, according to a statement posted to the camp's website. No campers were residing at the site when the floods hit. 'We at the camp are stunned and deeply saddened by Jane's death,' the statement said. 'She embodied the spirit of Heart O' the Hills and was exactly the type of strong, joyful woman that the camp aimed to develop with the girls entrusted to us each summer.' Ms Ragsdale, who became camp director in 1988, started as a camper and later became a counselor. NY TIMES
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
Search for Texas flood victims enters third day as more rain forecast
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A search dog working at Camp Mystic, after deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas, on July 5. HUNT, Texas - The search for over two dozen children missing from a girls' summer camp hit by flash floods in Texas entered a third day on July 6 as rescuers faced the threat of more flooding and the death toll in the region reached at least 50. Search and rescue teams raced to find 27 girls missing from a camp near the Guadalupe River, which broke its banks after torrential rain fell in central Texas on July 4, the US Independence Day holiday. Officials said more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 38cm of rain across Texas Hill Country, about 140km north-west of San Antonio. It was unclear exactly how many people in the area were still missing. Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm. President Donald Trump and his administration have overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service's parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, said former NOAA director Rick Spinrad. He said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but that they would inevitably degrade the agency's ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees NOAA, said a 'moderate' flood watch issued on July 3 by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch World Tariffs will kick in on Aug 1 barring trade deals: US Treasury Secretary Singapore Woman on SMRT's 190 bus injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window Business Great Eastern says Takeover Code not breached when it shared IFA valuation with OCBC Asia 'Don't be seen in India again': Indian nationals pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint Asia Thousands evacuated as Typhoon Danas lashes Taiwan Asia Two women fatally stabbed at bar in Japan by man Life Star Awards 2025: Christopher Lee wins big, including Special Achievement Award and Best Actor The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mr Joaquin Castro, a Democratic congressman from Texas, told CNN's State Of The Union that fewer personnel at the weather service could be dangerous. 'When you have flash flooding, there's a risk that if you don't have the personnel... to do that analysis, do the predictions in the best way, it could lead to tragedy,' Mr Castro said. More rain was expected in the area on July 6. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Kerr County, the epicentre of the disaster, until 1pm local time. The disaster unfolded rapidly on the morning of July 4 as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 9m. Items scattered inside a cabin at Camp Mystic after deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas, on July 5. PHOTO: REUTERS Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, told a press conference on July 5 he had asked Mr Trump to sign a disaster declaration, which would unlock federal aid for those affected. Ms Noem said Mr Trump would honour that request. Mr Trump has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government's role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves. At least 15 of the confirmed dead are children, local officials said. The 27 missing girls were from the Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp, which had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flood. Families waiting to hear news of their loved ones in Kerville, Texas, on July 5. PHOTO: REUTERS A day after the disaster struck, the camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least 1.83m from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, one had a missing wall. REUTERS
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
Death toll from Texas floods reaches 67, including 21 children
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A volunteer looking for missing people in Hunt, Texas, on July 6, following severe flash flooding on the July 4 holiday. HUNT, Texas - The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas reached at least 67 on July 6, including 21 children, as the search for girls missing from a summer camp entered a third day. Mr Larry Leitha, the Kerr County Sheriff in Texas Hill Country, the epicentre of the flooding, said the death toll in Kerr County had reached 59, including the 21 children. Mr Leitha said 11 girls and a counsellor remained missing from a summer camp near the Guadalupe River, which broke its banks after torrential rain fell in the central Texas area on July 4, the US Independence Day holiday. A Travis County official said four people had died from the flooding there, with 13 unaccounted for, and officials reported another death in Kendall County. The Burnet County Sheriff's office reported two fatalities. A woman was found dead in her submerged car in the city of San Angelo in Tom Green County, the police chief said. Mr Leitha said there were 18 adults and four children still pending identification in Kerr County. He did not say if those 22 individuals were included in the death count of 59. Officials said on July 5 that more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 38cm of rain across the region, about 140km north-west of San Antonio. It was unclear exactly how many people in the area were still missing. 'Everyone in the community is hurting,' Mr Leitha told reporters. The National Weather Service issued flood warnings and advisories for central Texas that were to last until 4.15pm local time (5.15am on July 7 in Singapore) as rains fell, potentially complicating rescue efforts. The Federal Emergency Management Agency was activated on July 6 and is deploying resources to first responders in Texas after President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement. United States Coast Guard helicopters and planes are helping the search and rescue efforts, DHS said. Mr Trump has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government's role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves. Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm. People searching the area, following flash flooding, in Hunt, Texas, on July 6. PHOTO: REUTERS Mr Trump's administration has overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service's parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, said former NOAA director Rick Spinrad. He said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but that they would inevitably degrade the agency's ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees NOAA, said a 'moderate' flood watch issued on July 3 by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Mr Joaquin Castro, a Democratic congressman from Texas, told CNN's State Of The Union that fewer personnel at the weather service could be dangerous. 'When you have flash flooding, there's a risk that if you don't have the personnel... to do that analysis, do the predictions in the best way, it could lead to tragedy,' Mr Castro said. 'Complete devastation' The 11 missing girls and the counsellor were from the Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp, which had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flood. Ms Katharine Somerville, a counsellor on the Cypress Lake side of Camp Mystic, on higher ground than the Guadalupe River side, said her 13-year-old campers were scared as their cabins suffered damage and lost power in the middle of the night. 'Our cabins at the top of hills were completely flooded with water. I mean, you all have seen the complete devastation, we never even imagined that this could happen,' she said, in an interview on Fox News on July 6. She said the campers in her care were put on military trucks and evacuated, and that all were safe. Beds and personal belongings caked in mud and tossed around inside a cabin at Camp Mystic, where at least 20 girls went missing amid the floods. PHOTO: AFP The disaster unfolded rapidly on the morning of July 4 as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 9m. A day after the disaster struck, the summer camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least 1.80m from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, one had a missing wall. Ms Somerville, who attended Camp Mystic as a child, lauded longtime camp director Richard 'Dick' Eastland, who died while trying to save girls at the camp, according to local media reports. REUTERS
