Record heatwave in Europe: France activates crisis cell, Germany issues alerts

A severe heatwave has hit much of Europe, prompting authorities in several countries to take emergency measures as temperatures near or exceed 40 degrees Celsius, according to Reuters. In France, the government has convened a crisis cell, while Germany has issued nationwide weather warnings. In Italy, the heatwave has disrupted both daily life and tourism in major cities.

• France on maximum alert: temperatures up to 41 degrees Celsius

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu held an emergency meeting, as Meteo-France warns that the heatwave could last until next week.

French meteorologists are predicting temperatures of 39-40 degrees Celsius in a wide corridor from the southwest to the Paris region and Burgundy, with peaks that could reach 41 degrees Celsius in some areas. Authorities say the episode is comparable to the major heat waves of 2003 and 2019, some of the most severe recorded in Western Europe.

• Germany and Italy under pressure from high temperatures

In Germany, the Meteorological Service (DWD) has issued nationwide heatwave alerts, with temperatures approaching 38 degrees Celsius. The combination of heat and high humidity could favor violent storms, meteorologists warn. In Italy, temperatures of 36-37 degrees Celsius have turned daily activity into a challenge.

In Rome, tourists queued in the hot sun to visit the Colosseum, while some took refuge in the cooler underground areas of the Temple of Claudius. In Bologna, residents cooled off at the Neptune Fountain or in the shade of historic porticoes.

• Europe seeks temporary solutions to the heat wave

In Warsaw, Poles sought refuge in recreational areas on the banks of the Vistula, while French authorities decided to keep parks open 24/7 to provide cooling spaces for the population. Experts warn that such episodes are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, increasing the risks to health and the economy.

• Economic impact and long-term warnings

The Bank of France warned that the immediate effects of the heat wave on the economy are mixed, combining a decrease in productivity with an increase in energy consumption. In the medium term, however, heat waves negatively affect economic activity. Scientists point out that European summers are becoming increasingly vulnerable to climate extremes, and such episodes could become the new normal in the absence of global emissions reductions.