Islamabad (TDI): An unusually intense early-summer heatwave has gripped large parts of Europe, leading to at least eight deaths and triggering health emergencies, wildfires, and power disruptions from Spain to Switzerland.
In Spain, two people died in a forest fire that swept through Catalonia on Tuesday. Officials said the fire damaged farmland and covered an area of roughly 40 kilometers before being brought under control.
Two additional deaths were reported in the southern regions of Extremadura and Cordoba, both believed to be heat-related.
France has also felt the impact. Energy Minister reports confirmed two fatalities tied to the soaring temperatures, while 300 people were treated in hospitals for heat-related illnesses.
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Red alerts remained in place across central France, and officials urged the public, particularly the elderly and chronically ill, to take precautions.
“We need to stay alert, especially in the coming days, as the consequences could be worse for the most fragile,” said Catherine Vautrin, Minister for Health and Families.
In Italy, health authorities raised red-level warnings in 18 cities. Two elderly men collapsed and died on beaches in Sardinia, likely from heat exhaustion, according to local media.
Elsewhere, Germany braced for the hottest day of the year, with forecasts predicting highs of 40°C (104°F) in some parts.
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The intense heat hasn’t just impacted people. Switzerland’s Beznau nuclear power station had to shut down one of its reactor units on Tuesday, while the output of another was cut in half.
The operator, Axpo, blamed rising river temperatures, which made it unsafe to continue cooling the facility at full capacity.
In Turkiye, fires broke out earlier in the week, prompting the evacuation of nearly 50,000 people. Authorities now say the fires are mostly under control.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
