Heatwave-linked drownings in France put Europe on alert
French officials reported about 20 drownings as people sought relief from severe heat that has pushed temperatures toward records across Europe.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
About 20 people drowned in France over the weekend while trying to cool off during a severe heatwave, French authorities said. The deaths have sharpened warnings across Europe as forecasters reported dangerous temperatures in France, Britain and Spain.
French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari told France Inter radio that swimming in unauthorised areas during a heatwave carries serious risks. Forecasters said much of France could see temperatures near 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit, on Tuesday.
Local authorities in southeastern France said heat was the most likely cause of death for two children, ages two and four, who were found unconscious in a car outside their home in Carpentras. In the Bordeaux region, local official Sophie Brocas told France TV that three people ages 80 to 95 had died from heat-related health problems.
France's national weather service placed 54 areas under its highest heat alert as the country faced record-breaking temperatures in several cities, including Bordeaux and Poitiers. Authorities said schools closed early or changed schedules to reduce students' exposure to the heat, while public services and power networks came under strain.
The conditions are especially difficult in France because air conditioning is not widespread, according to reporting by Reuters and AFP. Images from Paris showed people seeking shade along the Seine and cooling off in public fountains near the Eiffel Tower.
Heat spreads across Europe
Britain's Met Office warned Monday that a four-day heatwave could send temperatures above 39C, or 102F, in parts of the country. The agency said that would surpass the United Kingdom's June record of 35.6C, set in 1957 and matched in 1976.
The United Kingdom had already recorded its hottest May temperature just weeks earlier, according to the Met Office. Forecasters said temperatures were expected to run 5C to 10C above normal in many areas, with even larger departures from typical conditions in northern regions.
In London, data scientist Lewis Jennings told Reuters that 36C weather would be “disgusting.” The comment reflected the pressure of a heatwave in a country where many homes, transport systems and workplaces are not designed for prolonged high temperatures.
Spain also faced exceptional heat, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor. The monitor showed San Sebastian, in Spain's normally cooler north, was expected to reach 40C, more than twice the city's historic average for June 22.
The Reuters Climate Monitor reported that Europe was the continent furthest from its historical temperature norm on Monday. Scientists cited by Reuters linked the event to an “Omega block,” a slow-moving weather pattern that traps hot air over a region while cooler air remains on either side.
Clair Barnes, a research associate in extreme weather and climate at Imperial College London, told Reuters that the pattern was pulling hot air north from the Sahara and leaving little wind to offer relief. Barnes said climate change is making heatwaves and storms more intense by raising temperatures and increasing rainfall.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.