Europe still struggling with record-breaking heat wave
by Lisa Hornung · UPIJune 25 (UPI) -- The heat wave gripping Europe is still raging in the west but is moving its way eastward and is expected to affect eastern countries over the next few days.
France has been shutting down nuclear reactors to prevent releasing hot water into streams. The shutdowns are causing power outages, which prevent the use of air conditioning in the few places that have it.
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said deaths are on the rise in Paris.
"We must not believe ourselves to be invulnerable," the BBC reported he told a French TV station. "I am thinking especially about the youth. ... At about 7:30 p.m. last night, I saw 100 or so joggers on the street. Frankly, that's irresponsible."
"It's fine to take a couple of days off from exercising," he added.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced the city's first heat plan Thursday, which includes retrofitting homes at the highest risk of overheating, adding more trees and providing safe access to water for swimming.
A 2025 study found the number of British homes reporting overheating in summer quadrupled to 80% in a decade and that the use of air conditioning rose sevenfold to 21% of homes between 2011 and 2022.
"Extreme temperatures are no longer a future threat, they are a present danger," Khan said.
The London Ambulance Service recorded a high number of emergency calls to homes on Wednesday.
"We have seen the highest number of life-threatening emergencies in our history, driven by the extreme heat across London," LAS Chief Executive Jason Killens told The Guardian.
Hospitals in England are also struggling to manage, too, as cooling systems are breaking down and imaging machines and computers are not working in the heat.
There has been a surge of people admitted to emergency departments.
"Lots of people, especially older patients, are turning up having collapsed or with dehydration," The Guardian reported one physician said. "In terms of inpatients, the conditions are awful due to overcrowding. Very few places have air conditioning, and staff are really struggling."
The British high temperature record set on Wednesday at 96.98 degrees Fahrenheit in Gosport, England, is likely to be beaten Thursday, forecasters predicted. The previous record was 96 in Southampton in 1976.
In Spain, temps are expected to peak at 100 to 102 degrees in some areas Thursday, but meteorologists expect cooler air is coming to bring some relief. On Monday, Andújar, Spain, saw a temperature of 113.18.
Temperatures are expected to peak Thursday in Germany, with temps around 98.6 degrees. Several outdoor sporting events have been canceled, including a half-marathon in Hamburg, which was canceled because of "an increased demand for emergency and rescue services," The Guardian reported.
The German rail services Deutsche Bahn told customers to avoid travel and would refund any tickets over the next few days for canceled trips. On Friday and Saturday, most of the country is expected to rise to nearly 106 degrees. The current record, recorded in 2019, was 103 degrees.
Five people have died in Italy over the past 24 hours due to extreme heat, most of them working outdoors.
Florence's Uffizi Galleries stopped selling tickets on Wednesday. Museum authorities had to limit visitor numbers and suspend ticket sales because its cooling systems struggled to keep up with demand. People who bought tickets in advance were still allowed in.
"Gone are last century's June days of [89.6 degrees] daytime temperatures and cool [62.6-degree] nights," Meteorologist Lorenzo Tedici told Italian media. "We have become so accustomed to excess that, paradoxically, today we welcome a forecast of [93 degrees] as good news," the BBC reported.
Luxembourg saw its highest June temperature of 101 degrees in Wormeldange on Wednesday. Officials have declared a heat alert for the country.
The Czech Republic is expecting temperatures of 104 degrees this weekend, and Vienna, Austria, could see similar temps.