In European countries, record breaking heat has been affecting the region for the past week. Due to this extreme heat, hundreds of people have died, and daily life has been severely affected. Incidents of wildfires have also increased.
Meteorologists have also warned that starting from next week, temperatures may rise again in countries like France and Germany, which have already experienced the most intense heat in recent days.
France's public health office announced on Sunday that the recent heatwave, which started on June 20, had caused 1,000 excess deaths. Before the heatwave started, the nation's death rate was roughly 900 per day.
In Germany, at least seven people died due to heatwave related incidents.
What is Heat Stroke?
The most serious heat related illness is heat stroke, often known as sunstroke. It happens when your body's system for controlling its temperature malfunctions and your core body temperature quickly rises above 40°C (104°F). This medical emergency is life threatening and has to be handled right away.
Red heat warnings
The ongoing record breaking heatwave in Europe has now affected Italy and the Balkan countries as well. In Italy, from Bolzano in the north to Palermo in the southern island of Sicily, ‘red heat warnings’ have been issued in 22 cities.
The impact of this extreme heat was also clearly visible in Vatican City, where during the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, large crowds gathered to hear Pope Leo’s traditional Angelus message. To escape the burning sun, pilgrims were seen continuously using fans and umbrellas.
Weather Department issued alerts
The weather department has issued red alerts in a number of places, which include the capital city of Croatia called Zagreb as well as other popular tourist places like Split and Dubrovnik. There is a huge catastrophic forest fire that has occurred near Split in pine forests of the Adriatic island of Vis, about 55 kilometers away from it.
Europe’s Severe Heatwave Ever
Scientists say that this heatwave, which began on June 20, is the most severe heatwave ever recorded in Europe. It has disrupted power generation, damaged infrastructure, and put significant pressure on healthcare systems.
Luca Mercalli, president of the Italian Meteorological Society, said that temperatures are expected to rise again from July 5–6. He added that the affected regions are largely the same as in the first wave, including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and to some extent the United Kingdom.
He further said,
“Along with extreme heat, the risk of wildfires increases, but there is also a possibility of heavy rainfall and storms in these regions.”
"In European countries, record breaking heat has been affecting the region for the past week. Due to this extreme heat, hundreds of people ha…"