health
Fourth toddler dies in France as Europe’s brutal heatwave forecast to shift east
Scientists say hot spell is worst ever, with nearly half of region’s 850 largest cities facing unprecedented heat stress
TL;DR
- France has recorded four toddler deaths and over 55 drownings linked to the heatwave.
- Scientists describe the current heatwave as the most severe and widespread ever, impacting nearly half of the region's largest cities.
- The climate crisis, driven by fossil fuel burning, is cited as the cause of these extreme temperatures.
- The UK has broken daily temperature records for the third consecutive day, with high alerts in place for much of England.
- Hospitals in the UK have declared critical incidents, and emergency services are struggling to cope.
- Over 1,000 schools in the UK have closed or partially shut due to overheating.
- Wildfires, power supply concerns, and water restrictions are additional impacts of the heatwave.
- Major events in Paris, Belgium, and the Netherlands have been cancelled due to the extreme heat.
- The heatwave is forecast to shift east, affecting 150 million people with temperatures above 35C.
- Europe has warmed significantly in recent decades, with heatwaves expected to become more frequent and intense.