Europe in heatwave/ Temperatures up to 44°C

2026-06-22 15:12:03, Kosova & Bota CNA

Thirteen people drowned over the weekend in France, swimming in unsupervised areas, in extreme heat conditions.

This heat wave is expected to become even stronger starting today, in many European countries, so authorities have taken special measures to protect people.

Many outdoor activities have been canceled, some schools have been closed, and many employees have been asked to work from home.

In France, 49 out of 96 regions have been placed under red heat alert.

According to the Meteo-France weather service, temperatures could reach up to 43 degrees Celsius in the southwestern city of Bordeaux and 39 degrees Celsius in Paris.

The government has urged citizens not to cool off in unattended areas, such as lakes and rivers, after drownings reported over the weekend - including a 13-year-old girl.

Some 845 schools closed on Monday due to the heat, while another 1,800 allowed students to leave early.

In Belgium, temperatures this week are expected to be "the hottest ever," warned the head of forecasting at the IRM meteorological institute, David Dehenauw.

In Spain, meteorologists warn of very high heat both day and night, until Wednesday, with temperatures up to 44 degrees Celsius.

They say this is 5 to 10 degrees above normal for this period.

In Portugal, temperatures are above average, while in some areas they are approaching previous records.

A heatwave warning has been issued in Britain, with temperatures expected to exceed 35 degrees Celsius.

Experts say that heat records in Britain for the month of June are expected to be broken.

In the Czech Republic and other parts of Central Europe, temperatures are also above average for this period.

In most Balkan countries, the situation is similar to the rest of Europe: high temperatures and severe heat waves, with some differences from country to country.

This heat wave is the second in a row in two months, following an unusually hot period in May.

Scientists say recurring heat waves are a clear sign of global warming and warn that they will become more frequent, longer and more intense./REL