A record-breaking heatwave, the worst ever recorded in Europe, is shifting east from France and the UK towards central Europe and the Balkans. Authorities are on high alert as the crisis intensifies.
The heatwave, which began on June 20, has broken June temperature records in multiple countries. Paris hit a new June record of 40.9°C. In the UK, the Met Office extended a red heat alert for a third day. The extreme heat has buckled road surfaces in Germany and forced mass event cancellations in France.
Hospitals are under severe strain. In Paris, emergency services reported 55 heat-related deaths in a 24-hour period. British doctors warn the heat is affecting critical medical equipment like MRI scanners.
Scientists from the World Weather Attribution group stated the heatwave would have been "virtually impossible" without human-caused climate change. The weather pattern, an Omega block, is trapping hot air over the continent.
The heat is forecast to hit Italy, central Europe, and the Balkans this weekend, with temperatures expected to reach 40°C. Italy's Civil Protection has already deployed cooling measures in Rome.