PARIS, June 29. /Dunyo IA/. Western Europe is grappling with another unprecedented heatwave, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing with reference to the “France 24” television channel.

France has witnessed a sharp surge in fatalities amid extremely high temperatures. Preliminary findings released by the French Public Health Agency indicate that since June 24^th, excess mortality has surpassed previous months' averages by nearly a thousand cases. This marked increase became noticeable on June 23^rd, predominantly in departments placed under the highest red alert level for extreme weather conditions.

The highest fatality rates have been concentrated in the Île-de-France region, alongside Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Brittany, the Loire Valley, Normandy, and Pays de la Loire. Approximately 85% of the victims were individuals aged 65 and above, with a substantial number of deaths occurring in private residences, notably within Paris and its surrounding areas.

Government officials underscore that extreme temperatures pose a severe threat to elderly citizens, individuals with chronic health conditions, and other vulnerable demographics. Agency has urged the public to extend special vigilance toward lonely and socially isolated individuals, calling for reinforced support frameworks, particularly in major metropolitan centers.

Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, underscored that Europe continues to be the fastest-warming continent globally, calling upon governments to implement further interventions to shield the public from extreme heat waves. He noted that such meteorological phenomena are projected to intensify in frequency.

This extreme heat has simultaneously engulfed Germany. Data from the national meteorological service indicates that on June 27^th, temperatures in the village of Drewitz, within the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, peaked at 41.5 degrees Celsius, marking an all-time record since registration began. Concurrently, the city of Saarbrücken, situated on the French border, registered 41.3 degrees. Extreme weather alerts remain active across nearly all German regions, with forecasts warning that temperatures could climb to 42 degrees in specific localities.

Extreme temperatures have already impacted Germany's transport infrastructure network. The national railway operator has authorized passengers to make uncompensated cancellations for long-distance travel. Within the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, operations of several train services have been temporarily suspended, while near Hamburg, a segment of the A7 autobahn was shut down following structural deformation of the asphalt surface caused by the intense heat.

Concurrently, 18 Italian cities, including Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Florence, and Bologna, have been placed under the highest heat alert level, with temperatures projected to hit 39 degrees Celsius in specific localities. Owing to these severe meteorological conditions, the timelines for several public gatherings and athletic events have been modified.

Climate scientists underscore that this intense heatwave is a direct consequence of human-induced climate change. They emphasize that the frequency of extreme nighttime temperatures recorded in recent weeks has expanded nearly a hundredfold compared to two decades ago.

Photo by “Anadolu” Agency