Paris, France. Western Europe remained in the grip of a heatwave on Wednesday that broke temperature records, caused dozens of deaths, closed schools, disrupted electricity supplies and devastated poultry farms.
France records extreme heat and widespread disruption
France recorded its hottest day since records began nearly 80 years ago on Tuesday, with temperatures reaching 44.3 degrees Celsius in the southwestern town of Pissos. On Wednesday, authorities worked to restore electricity to thousands of homes affected by power cuts in Brittany.
At least 48 people died in France from drowning while trying to escape the heat, authorities said. Two young children also died after being exposed to heat in a car.
The heat also severely affected agriculture. French agricultural bodies said scorching temperatures killed hundreds of thousands of birds at poultry farms in Brittany and the Pays de la Loire. Farmers waiting for collection or burial were advised to use sawdust or wood shavings on the carcasses to absorb liquid. Burial at farms was allowed only after technical and environmental checks.
France’s nuclear power plants, which provide most of the country’s electricity, reduced output by about 7% of electricity demand on Wednesday because high temperatures limited access to cooling water.
Italy and Britain issue high-level warnings
Italy’s health ministry issued its highest heat alert for 16 cities, including Florence, Milan, Rome, Turin and Verona.
In Britain, the Met Office issued only the second extreme-heat weather warning in its history as the country moved toward what could become its hottest June day on record. Hundreds of schools remained closed or shut early because high temperatures could put even healthy people at risk.
Spain reports deaths as temperatures begin to ease
In Spain, two elderly people died of heatstroke after the country experienced temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius since the weekend.
National weather agency AEMET said temperatures were beginning to ease on Wednesday after Monday and Tuesday became the hottest days on record for late June.
Rare weather pattern drives temperatures higher
According to the Reuters Climate Monitor, a rare weather pattern known as an Omega block was behind the record-breaking temperatures across Europe, with readings as much as 18 degrees Celsius above normal.
The pattern resembles the Greek letter Omega, with a bulbous middle that traps and intensifies heat over regions for extended periods, while cooler weather remains on its edges.