As Europe swelters in extreme heat, Eiffel Tower closes its top level and a Swiss reactor shuts down
In Switzerland, energy company Axpo shut down one of the reactor units at its Beznau nuclear power plant because of high water temperature in the River Aare. The plant, which typically takes cooling water from the river for use before returning it, is prevented from doing so by Swiss regulations when temperatures reach 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher to avoid causing damage to aquatic fauna and flora.
'Due to the high river water temperatures, Axpo has been increasingly reducing the output of the two reactor units at the Beznau nuclear power plant for days,' the company said in a statement Wednesday, adding that one unit was currently operating at 50% capacity.
In France, the national weather service Wednesday issued a rare red alert in four regions where the heat wave was expected to last until 9 p.m. local time (3 p.m. ET).
In Paris, officials said the Eiffel Tower's top level would remain closed to visitors because of the current heat wave. According to its website, rising temperatures cause the puddled iron of the tower to expand in size and tilt slightly, but without causing any impact to its structural integrity.
French Environment Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher said at a news conference Wednesday that firefighters had responded to more than 300 weather-related emergencies.
Meanwhile, a wildfire in Spain's Catalonia region killed two people Tuesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said.
'My sympathy goes out to all those affected and my gratitude to the emergency services working to extinguish the fire,' Sánchez wrote in a post on X on Wednesday, adding, 'In these months of heightened risk, please let us take extreme precautions.'
In a separate post on X, Catalonia's civil protection services said Wednesday that it was still working to extinguish the fire that was ablaze in three different areas and warned of a 'high risk of forest fires' in two more.
Spain recorded its hottest June to date with temperatures passing 40 C (104 F) in some of its cities Tuesday.
In the United Kingdom, the national weather service said last month's mean temperature of 16.9 C (62°F) was the second warmest June recorded in the country since record keeping began in 1884.
Studies have shown that climate change is increasing the frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves around the world. As the world continues to warm, these extremes are expected to compound, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, which said the region is heating up at twice the global average speed.
On Monday, the United Nation's human rights chief, Volker Turk, said the heat wave underscored the need for climate adaptation by moving away from fossil fuels, the main cause of climate change, according to the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
'Rising temperatures, rising seas, floods, droughts, and wildfires threaten our rights to life, to health, to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and much more,' Turk said.
Other European countries also felt the sweltering effects.
The Italian Health Ministry issued heat wave red alerts for 16 cities, including Rome and Milan. In 13 regions, including Lombardy and Emilia, people were advised not to venture outdoors for work during the hottest periods of the day.
Two people in the country died from separate heat-related causes, including a 47-year-old working on a construction site near Bologna.
In Turkey, wildfires burned for a second day and more than 50,000 people were evacuated by rescuers Wednesday, according to the AFAD emergency management authority.
The blistering temperatures were caused by a 'heat dome,' a high-pressure system that stalled over western Europe, trapping hot air from northern Africa over the region — akin to a lid on a pot of boiling water. Heat domes can linger for days or weeks, driving up heat and humidity for extended periods of time.
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Reuters
9 hours ago
- Reuters
Heatwave across Europe leaves 8 dead as early summer temperatures hit records
LONDON, July 2 (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. Italy issued red alerts for 18 cities, while in Germany temperatures were forecast to peak at 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas, making it the hottest day of the year. Two men over the age of 60 died in separate incidents on the beach in Sardinia from the heat, ANSA news agency reported. Weather forecaster Meteo France said red alerts remained for several areas of central France. The risks were greatest for vulnerable members of the population, and Catherine Vautrin, France's health and families minister, said authorities should remain vigilant. "In the coming days, we'll see the consequences, particularly on the most vulnerable, and I'm thinking particularly of the elderly," she said. Turkey, which battled blazes on several fronts forcing the temporary evacuation of about 50,000 people earlier in the week, said its fires were largely contained. Tuesday's fire in the Catalonia region of Spain destroyed several farms and affected an area stretching about 40 km (25 miles) before being contained, officials said. Italy, France and Germany warned of the risk of heavy storms due to excessive warming in unstable atmospheres. Violent storms in the French Alps late on Monday triggered mudslides, disrupting rail traffic between Paris and Milan. 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. The extreme heat would likely impact the region's economic growth, which was expected to slow by half a percentage point in 2025, Allianz Research said in a report, likening the financial toll of one day with temperatures exceeding 32 C to half a day of strikes. Scientists say heatwaves have arrived earlier this year, spiking temperatures by up to 10 C (50 F) in some regions as warming seas encouraged the formation of a heat dome over much of Europe, trapping hot air masses. Greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are a cause of climate change, they say, with deforestation and industrial practices being other contributing factors. Last year was the planet's hottest on record. "Extreme heat is testing our resilience and putting the health and lives of millions at risk," said Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme. "Our new climate reality means we can no longer be surprised when temperatures reach record highs each year." Allianz Research's warning of a dent in economic activity due to the heat rang true for some businesses. British baker Greggs (GRG.L), opens new tab warned on Wednesday its annual profit could dip below last year's levels as the unusually hot UK temperatures discourage customers from eating out. In Germany, people flocked to open air swimming pools and lakes to cool off, with many schools across the country closed. The fire brigade was tackling several forest fires in the eastern states of Brandenburg and Saxony. The upper floor of the Eiffel Tower in Paris was shut to visitors on Tuesday, while the iconic Atomium in Brussels, an atom-like structure made of stainless steel, closed early on Wednesday as a precaution, its third early closure this week. Spain experienced its hottest June on record this year, and France had its hottest June since 2003.
NBC News
10 hours ago
- NBC News
As Europe swelters in extreme heat, Eiffel Tower closes its top level and a Swiss reactor shuts down
Extreme temperatures soared across Europe on Wednesday as several countries issued heat alerts, with a Swiss power company shutting down one of its reactor units, France partially closing the Eiffel Tower and two people in Spain dying in a heat wave. In Switzerland, energy company Axpo shut down one of the reactor units at its Beznau nuclear power plant because of high water temperature in the River Aare. The plant, which typically takes cooling water from the river for use before returning it, is prevented from doing so by Swiss regulations when temperatures reach 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher to avoid causing damage to aquatic fauna and flora. 'Due to the high river water temperatures, Axpo has been increasingly reducing the output of the two reactor units at the Beznau nuclear power plant for days,' the company said in a statement Wednesday, adding that one unit was currently operating at 50% capacity. In France, the national weather service Wednesday issued a rare red alert in four regions where the heat wave was expected to last until 9 p.m. local time (3 p.m. ET). In Paris, officials said the Eiffel Tower's top level would remain closed to visitors because of the current heat wave. According to its website, rising temperatures cause the puddled iron of the tower to expand in size and tilt slightly, but without causing any impact to its structural integrity. French Environment Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher said at a news conference Wednesday that firefighters had responded to more than 300 weather-related emergencies. Meanwhile, a wildfire in Spain's Catalonia region killed two people Tuesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said. 'My sympathy goes out to all those affected and my gratitude to the emergency services working to extinguish the fire,' Sánchez wrote in a post on X on Wednesday, adding, 'In these months of heightened risk, please let us take extreme precautions.' In a separate post on X, Catalonia's civil protection services said Wednesday that it was still working to extinguish the fire that was ablaze in three different areas and warned of a 'high risk of forest fires' in two more. Spain recorded its hottest June to date with temperatures passing 40 C (104 F) in some of its cities Tuesday. In the United Kingdom, the national weather service said last month's mean temperature of 16.9 C (62°F) was the second warmest June recorded in the country since record keeping began in 1884. Studies have shown that climate change is increasing the frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves around the world. As the world continues to warm, these extremes are expected to compound, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, which said the region is heating up at twice the global average speed. On Monday, the United Nation's human rights chief, Volker Turk, said the heat wave underscored the need for climate adaptation by moving away from fossil fuels, the main cause of climate change, according to the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 'Rising temperatures, rising seas, floods, droughts, and wildfires threaten our rights to life, to health, to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and much more,' Turk said. Other European countries also felt the sweltering effects. The Italian Health Ministry issued heat wave red alerts for 16 cities, including Rome and Milan. In 13 regions, including Lombardy and Emilia, people were advised not to venture outdoors for work during the hottest periods of the day. Two people in the country died from separate heat-related causes, including a 47-year-old working on a construction site near Bologna. In Turkey, wildfires burned for a second day and more than 50,000 people were evacuated by rescuers Wednesday, according to the AFAD emergency management authority. The blistering temperatures were caused by a 'heat dome,' a high-pressure system that stalled over western Europe, trapping hot air from northern Africa over the region — akin to a lid on a pot of boiling water. Heat domes can linger for days or weeks, driving up heat and humidity for extended periods of time.
BBC News
12 hours ago
- BBC News
Europe heatwave: Wildfires, schools shut and red alerts
A heatwave continued across parts of Europe on Wednesday, with temperatures passing 40 degrees Celsius in many countries. A heatwave is a period of unusually hot weather. In France, thousands of schools were ordered to close, while Italy limited work outdoors. In Germany conditions have led to water use being restricted in some areas. Meanwhile, there are several countries on high alert for wildfires. Fires have already caused damage in Turkey and Spain. Dozens of heat alerts are in place in countries across Europe including France, Italy, Spain and Germany. In France, nearly 2,000 schools were closed at midday on Tuesday across the country's capital Paris is on the highest heat alert for the first time in five years and the top of the famous Eiffel Tower will be closed until Italy there are also red alerts and outdoor work has been banned in some Italian regions during the hottest hours of the Florence, a city in the north of the country, there was a power cut on Tuesday for a while after a surge in demand - possibly due to air conditioning. Germany's national weather service is forecasting a peak of 40C on rail services have been affected and in the north local media has reported a motorway buckling under the high temperatures across the continent have increased the risk of wildfires. Fifty thousand people have been evacuated from five regions in Turkey as forest fires were made worse by strong winds. Wildfires also broke out in Spain's Catalonia region and spread quickly through farmland before being brought under control by firefighters. Climate change is making extreme heat in Europe more likely. On Tuesday, the World Meteorological Organization - the United Nations' weather and climate agency - said people will need to learn to live with the new normal of extreme heatwaves, which will occur more often and be more intense.
