Europe records temperature records amid the advance of the heat wave
From Scandinavia to the Alps, Europeans face sweltering heat this Saturday (27), as a heat wave linked to dozens of deaths spread east, with record temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in some places.
Denmark recorded its highest temperature ever after the UK, France, Switzerland and Germany had already faced record heat in June and the weather system began to move towards Poland.
Scientists said the heatwave would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change, which made this week's nighttime temperatures 100 times more likely than they would have been just two decades ago.
"The heat wave will reach its peak at the weekend, with temperatures well above 40°C in some parts of Germany," said Karsten Brandt, meteorologist at weather forecasting site Donnerwetter.de.
On Friday (26), a new German record of 41.3°C was recorded near the city of Saarbrücken, on the border with France, the German National Weather Service said, citing preliminary data.
Meanwhile, the Danish Meteorological Institute recorded 37°C north of the city of Aarhus this Saturday, the highest temperature ever recorded since measurements began in 1874.
People encouraged to save water
The service issued extreme heat warnings for almost all of Germany on Saturday, as authorities urged people to save water.
According to the service, temperatures of 36 °C were expected across the country, with the possibility of local maximums of 42 °C. Temperatures rose well above 30°C across most of Poland.
In France, dozens of people, both young and old, died during the heat wave. Temperatures above 40°C have disrupted rail traffic and power generation, prompted bans on alcohol consumption, suspended classes and postponed outdoor events.
Italy's Ministry of Health has issued a red alert for the heat wave in 18 cities, including Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Genoa, Florence and Bologna, for Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures expected to reach 39°C.
Friday was the hottest June night on record in Bolzano, in the Italian Alps, with night temperatures that did not fall below 25.4°C, city meteorologist Dieter Peterlin reported in X.
The French Prime Minister's office said that although the heat wave is passing, pressure on the healthcare system will persist and hospitalizations will remain high for several days.
Reports of forest fires in France have increased compared with the same period last year due to the heat wave, officials say.
Free train travel cancellation
Facing the prospect of damage to infrastructure, including buckled roads and widened train tracks, some major rail operators have sought to reduce traffic.
German national rail operator Deutsche Bahn has allowed customers to cancel long-distance journeys until early next week without charge, to ease pressure on its network.
Another operator, National Express, said it would suspend some trains on Saturday afternoon in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, as a precautionary measure.
Near Hamburg, the main traffic lane of one of Germany's busiest highways was partially closed after the heat caused the asphalt to crack, authorities said.
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Source: CNN