A severe heatwave sweeping across Europe has left at least 18 people dead in France, including two young children found inside a hot car.
Temperatures surged across several countries, reaching record levels in parts of France and prompting widespread disruption.
Authorities reported school closures and schedule changes as the extreme heat intensified across affected regions.
Forecasters in the United Kingdom warned that temperatures could surpass long-standing June records later in the week.
In France’s Bordeaux region, temperatures climbed to 41.9 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous August record.
The central city of Poitiers recorded 41.2 degrees Celsius, exceeding a temperature benchmark that had stood since 1947.
In Spain, the coastal city of San Sebastian was projected to hit 40 degrees Celsius, far above its seasonal average.
According to the Reuters Climate Monitor, Europe recorded the largest deviation from normal temperatures among all continents.
A report by the World Meteorological Organization said Europe is warming at more than twice the global average rate.
Among the fatalities were two children aged two and four discovered unconscious in a car in southeastern France.
A prosecutor in Carpentras said emergency responders were unable to revive the children after arrival.
Three elderly people aged between 80 and 95 also died in the Bordeaux region over the weekend.
Local official Sophie Brocas confirmed the deaths, linking them to extreme heat conditions.
French Civil Safety spokesperson Jérôme Boulanger urged residents to exercise caution around water bodies.
“Swim only in places that are supervised,” he said, following a rise in drowning incidents.
Authorities said 13 drowning deaths were recorded between Sunday and Monday.
Officials also noted that drowning cases rose by 172 per cent during heatwaves last year.
Climate experts attributed the current weather pattern to an Omega block system.
Researcher Clair Barnes of Imperial College London said the system traps hot air over Europe.
“It’s drawing warm air up from North Africa, from the Sahara,” she explained.
Barnes added that the stagnant pattern reduces wind and offers little relief from heat.
She also noted that climate change is intensifying both heatwaves and severe storms globally.
In the UK, forecasters warned temperatures could exceed 39 degrees Celsius during a four-day heatwave.
The predicted level would surpass the June record of 35.6 degrees Celsius set in 1957.
“Thirty-six degrees is going to be disgusting,” said data scientist Lewis Jennings in London.
Paris is also expected to record its hottest June day, with temperatures reaching 38.4 degrees Celsius.
Spain’s weather agency spokesperson Rubén del Campo said temperatures were far above normal levels.
He noted readings were 5 to 10 degrees higher than seasonal averages in many areas.
In some northern regions, temperatures exceeded average conditions by more than 10 degrees.
