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Europe Heatwave: 41.3°C in Germany, 38.8°C in Switzerland – Children Dead, Nuclear Plants Offline
🇬🇷 Greece /Disasters & Emergencies

Europe Heatwave: 41.3°C in Germany, 38.8°C in Switzerland – Children Dead, Nuclear Plants Offline

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Europe is experiencing an unprecedented heatwave with record-breaking temperatures, prompting high alert from authorities across the continent.
  • Several countries, including Germany, Switzerland, and the UK, have recorded extreme highs, with Germany reaching 41.3°C and Switzerland hitting 38.8°C.
  • The heatwave has led to disruptions, including the temporary shutdown of nuclear power plants to prevent overheating of cooling water and tragic incidents involving young children dying in hot cars.

An extreme heatwave is gripping Europe, pushing temperatures to historic highs and triggering widespread alerts among authorities. From France and Germany to Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the Balkans, the continent is grappling with the severe impact of these record-breaking temperatures.

Germany recorded a preliminary maximum temperature of 41.3°C in Saarbrücken on Friday, a figure that meteorologists suggest could be matched or slightly exceeded. Switzerland registered its highest June temperature ever, with Basel reaching 38.8°C, surpassing the previous day's record. In response to the extreme heat, the Swiss nuclear power plant in Beznau halted operations to avoid overheating the river water used for cooling.

Similar measures were taken in France, where three reactors were temporarily shut down, impacting electricity production. The United Kingdom also experienced record June heat for the third consecutive day, with temperatures climbing in Suffolk. Meanwhile, the Netherlands issued a red alert for a large part of the country.

The human toll of the heatwave has been devastating. In France, an 18-month-old baby died after being found in a car in Marseille. Tragically, two young children, aged two and four, were found dead in a family car in Carpentras, and a three-year-old child also died after being left alone in a vehicle. Additionally, passengers on two Eurostar trains in Belgium had to be evacuated due to technical issues exacerbated by the heat.

And it is very likely that this temperature will also be recorded tomorrow [today Saturday], if not slightly exceeded.

— Uwe BaumgärtnerA meteorologist from the German Weather Service (DWD), commenting on the record temperature in Germany.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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