Europe heatwave breaks records, kills 18 in France

At least 18 people have died in France as a severe heatwave sweeps across Europe, breaking temperature records in several cities on Monday, June 22. The victims include two young children left in a hot car and three elderly people who died from heat-related health issues.

In Bordeaux, temperatures soared to 41.9 degrees Celsius, breaking a record set last August. Poitiers reached 41.2 degrees Celsius, surpassing a previous high set in 1947. San Sebastian in northern Spain is expected to hit 40 degrees Celsius, more than double the city's historic average for this time of year.

In southern France, first responders were unable to resuscitate two children, aged 2 and 4, who were found unconscious by their mother in the family car outside their home, a prosecutor in Carpentras said. Three elderly people, aged between 80 and 95, died over the weekend in the Bordeaux region from health issues caused by the heatwave.

French Civil Safety service spokesperson Jerome Boulanger also reported 13 drownings from Sunday to Monday, as people tried to cool off in the water. Drowning deaths spiked by 172 per cent in France last year during heatwaves.

UK expects record June temperatures
Britain's Met Office has warned that a four-day heatwave could push temperatures above 39 degrees Celsius, easily breaking the June record of 35.6 degrees Celsius set in 1957 and 1976.

"Thirty-six degrees is going to be disgusting," said data scientist Lewis Jennings, out walking in central London.

Paris was due to register its highest temperature for June, with the mercury reaching 38.4 degrees Celsius, according to preliminary numbers from Meteo-France.

"It's drawing warm air up from North Africa, from the Sahara, and that's why we have this really intense heat," said Clair Barnes, a research associate in extreme weather and climate at Imperial College London. "It's very slow moving and it means there's kind of no wind, no breeze for respite."

Red alerts across Italy
Italy issued heatwave red alerts for 12 cities on Monday. Utility Iren was doubling workers' shifts and adding generators to address sporadic power cuts in Turin as the electricity grid came under strain.

An April report by the World Meteorological Organization found Europe is warming at more than double the global rate. The heatwave affecting large parts of Europe is known as an Omega block due to the shape of the high-pressure system, which traps hot air in place for extended periods.