Climate crisis deepens as record heatwave claims 1,000 lives in France By Lai Gidado
Climate crisis deepens as record heatwave claims 1,000 lives in France
By Lai Gidado
A record-breaking heatwave sweeping across Europe has claimed at least 1,000 excess lives in France, with authorities warning that the death toll is expected to rise as more fatalities are confirmed.
The French public health agency said most of the victims were elderly people, while additional deaths in residential care facilities and private homes were still being verified.
The extreme heat, which began on June 20, has pushed temperatures to around 40 degrees Celsius in parts of Europe, setting new records in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria.
Scientists described the heatwave as one of the worst ever recorded on the continent, blaming human-induced climate change for making such extreme temperatures increasingly frequent and severe.
World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said about 150 million people were living under extreme heat conditions, with hundreds of deaths already reported, schools closed and electricity grids struggling under unprecedented demand.
He warned that what were once considered “once-in-a-generation” heatwaves were now occurring almost every year due to global warming, adding that homes, schools and workplaces across Europe remained ill-prepared for prolonged periods of extreme heat.
The soaring temperatures have disrupted transport services, reduced electricity generation and strained healthcare systems across several countries.
In Germany, rail services were reduced on a major line in North Rhine-Westphalia, while tram operations were suspended in the eastern city of Leipzig as residents stayed indoors to escape the scorching conditions.
The heat has also affected Europe’s rivers, reducing water levels and raising temperatures, with adverse consequences for agriculture and power generation.
Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant cut electricity output after the temperature of the Danube River, used to cool its reactors, rose significantly.
In Italy, the shrinking flow of the River Po allowed seawater to advance about 18 kilometres inland, heightening fears over crop production and protected wetlands in the river delta.
Authorities also reported several drowning incidents involving people seeking relief from the intense heat, while rescue teams continued searching for the husband of an Italian cabinet minister who went missing while swimming in Lake Vico near Rome.
Meanwhile, severe thunderstorms swept across parts of France, Germany and the Czech Republic, causing power outages and disrupting transportation after days of relentless heat.
French electricity provider Enedis said about 36,000 households in northern and central parts of the country remained without power following the storms.
Although weather forecasters predicted cooler conditions across much of Western Europe this week, France’s weather agency warned that some northeastern regions remained under heat alerts.
French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist cautioned that the health impact of the heatwave could persist for up to 10 days even after temperatures subside.
“The episode is not finished,” she said.
