France Records Around 1,000 Extra Deaths as Europe's Heat Wave Breaks Records

A powerful heat wave hit Europe last week, breaking temperature records in several countries and causing around 1,000 extra deaths in France alone. France's public health agency reported the surge in deaths on Sunday, saying most of the victims were people aged 65 and older. The World Health Organization (WHO) also warned that Europe is now the fastest-warming continent on Earth, and that countries must do more to protect their people from extreme heat.

In France, the death toll climbed sharply on the hottest days of the heat wave. More than 1,200 people died on Wednesday, and that number rose to over 1,400 on each of the two days that followed. Before the heat wave, France's daily death count was between 900 and 1,000, so the jump was significant. The increase was greatest in areas under 'red warnings,' which covered about three-quarters of the country at its worst point.

Germany also set a new heat record for the third day in a row, reaching 41.7 degrees Celsius — that's about 107 degrees Fahrenheit — near the border with Poland. The Czech Republic had its hottest day ever, hitting 41.1 degrees Celsius. Scientists from a group called World Weather Attribution said the extreme heat would have been almost impossible just 50 years ago. They also found that this kind of heat is now 200 times more likely than it was just 20 years ago, thanks to climate change.

The head of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that about 150 million people in Europe were living under extreme heat. He noted that more than 1,300 extra deaths had been linked to high temperatures across Europe since June 21. He called the heat a 'silent killer' because it doesn't get as much attention as other disasters like floods or earthquakes. He urged European countries to create action plans focused on staying prepared and keeping people safe.

The heat also caused serious problems beyond deaths and illness. In eastern Germany, a wildfire broke out in a forest that still contains old ammunition left over from World War II, making it very dangerous for firefighters to do their jobs. A similar fire broke out in southwest Germany near a village called Traisen, where unexploded bombs were also buried underground. Around 650 people had to leave their homes as the fire spread, and firefighters had to pause their work after explosions were heard.

In Sweden, several people were struck by lightning at an amusement park called Tosselilla Sommarland. Three adults were taken to the hospital, including one woman with serious injuries. Across Europe, the extreme heat has often been followed by strong thunderstorms. Denmark recorded over 1,000 lightning strikes in a single morning after also breaking temperature records.

Berlin's police found a creative way to help people cope with the heat. They set up two large water cannons — normally used to break up protests — in front of the famous Brandenburg Gate and sprayed cool water on the cheering crowd. Meanwhile, highways cracked under the heat, and Germany's national train service warned people to avoid traveling unless they had to. More than 600 passengers were trapped on an overheated train after a storm knocked out its power, and two people were taken to the hospital. In the city of Leipzig, trams stopped running entirely because the heat had damaged the tracks and switches throughout the city.