Europe scorched by extreme heat as Spain reports 327 deaths

A severe heatwave sweeping across Europe has disrupted daily life in Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and several other countries, with Spain reporting at least 327 heat-related deaths.

Authorities across the continent have issued emergency warnings, while major public events have been cancelled as temperatures continue to soar. Reuters reported that health officials are increasingly concerned about the impact of prolonged extreme heat.

Spain’s government-operated MoMo mortality monitoring system said at least 327 people have died during the ongoing heatwave. Near Barcelona, a major wildfire forced authorities to order around 16,000 residents to remain indoors because of hazardous smoke and fire risks.

France is also reporting a rising death toll. Paris has activated emergency heat response plans across all public hospitals as healthcare facilities face mounting pressure. Health officials said the number of sudden deaths at home has also increased. Since the heatwave began, at least 55 people have drowned while swimming in unsafe locations in an attempt to escape the high temperatures.

Extreme temperatures have spread across much of Europe. Germany’s Saarbrücken recorded 41.3 degrees Celsius, setting a new local record. Temperatures reached 40 degrees in Kleine Brogel, Belgium, 39.4 degrees in Limburg, the Netherlands, and 37.1 degrees in Suffolk, England.

On Friday alone, an estimated 150 million people across Europe experienced temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius. Meteorologists warned that the heatwave is likely to expand further into northern and eastern Europe in the coming days, with new temperature records possible in the Czech Republic and Austria.

Claire Nullis, a spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said extreme weather driven by climate change is becoming the new reality, stressing that societies must adapt to increasingly frequent heatwaves.

Scientists said a persistent high-pressure system has pushed temperatures across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and southern England to between 5 and 12 degrees Celsius above seasonal averages. The Copernicus Climate Change Service says Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising at roughly twice the global average.

The heatwave has also disrupted energy and transport infrastructure. Switzerland temporarily shut down both reactors at the Beznau nuclear power plant after river water used for cooling reached 25 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, about 400 passengers were stranded after a Eurostar train travelling from Cologne to Paris broke down, with three people taken to hospital after falling ill in the extreme heat.

Health risks have also forced the cancellation of numerous public events, including the Paris Pride march, music festivals and marathons across Europe. Swiss glaciologists have also warned that glaciers are melting unusually early this year, describing it as another alarming sign of climate change.