Europe was hit by severe weather on Sunday as a prolonged heat wave swept across the region during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer solstice.
Celebrated annually on June 21, the solstice also marks the beginning of Europe’s three hottest months.
According to meteorologists, the heat wave is being driven by a mass of hot air moving north from the Sahara, driven by a strong high pressure system called the “African Anticyclone”.
The high pressure system has created a so-called “heat dome”, trapping warm air over western and central Europe, causing temperatures to rise by the day.
It is the second heat wave to hit Europe this year, following a period of unusually high temperatures last month.
Heat waves are deadly events in Europe, with more than 200,000 people dying from heat-related causes across the continent in the past four years, according to the World Health Organization’s Europe office.
France: transport disrupted
French authorities have put about 35 departments, or about a third of the country, on red alert due to the extreme heat.
SNCF chief Jean Castex said the high temperatures had hit the French rail network hard, threatening overhead power lines and causing the tracks to expand in the heat.
SNCF canceled 71 intercity trains on key routes from Sunday to Monday, while 3,500 staff were deployed to monitor the network and another 2,000 would carry out emergency repairs.
Vulnerable travelers have been urged to delay travel.
The country’s annual street music festival, the Fête de la Musique, continued despite the heat, but the government banned alcohol consumption in public places in departments under red alert.
The Louvre Museum in Paris also canceled a free concert beneath its famous glass pyramid.
Germany’s Berlin Open tennis final suspended
The German weather service has forecast temperatures of up to 37 degrees Celsius for Monday and Tuesday, rising to 39 degrees by Wednesday. Meteorologists have also warned of strong storms and rain in the coming days. A severe storm hit communities last Friday, disrupting festivals in many areas in the western part of the country.
Organizers of the Berlin Open tennis tournament evacuated the field due to heavy rain and high winds, causing the women’s singles final between Jessica Pegula of the United States and Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic to be suspended due to weather.
As people seek respite from the heat, the German Life-Saving Association (DLRG) is urging them not to underestimate the dangers of swimming in the country’s many rivers and lakes.
The warning comes after five people drowned or went missing while swimming in local rivers and lakes in Franconia, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia over the weekend.
Heat warning issued in Spain and Italy
Italy has seen temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) for several days, prompting authorities to issue a red alert on Sunday in eight cities, including Bologna, Florence, Milan and Turin.
Spain’s AEMET weather agency has also issued red and orange alerts in several areas, as temperatures are expected to exceed 39 to 40 degrees Celsius across large parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Majorca.
Spanish officials said the heat wave would last until at least the middle of the week.
In Madrid, a public screening of the Spain national team’s World Cup match against Saudi Arabia was cancelled.
Edited by: Louis Olofse
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