A severe heatwave continued to affect large parts of Europe on Friday, breaking temperature records and disrupting public life across several countries. Authorities cancelled public events, issued health warnings and urged people to stay indoors as temperatures climbed well above seasonal averages.
Germany recorded a provisional temperature of 41.3 degree Celsius in Saarbrücken, making it the highest June temperature ever recorded in the country. Belgium and the Netherlands also experienced record-breaking heat, while parts of the United Kingdom touched 37.1 degrees, per a report by BBC.
According to AFP calculations, nearly 150 million people across Europe were facing temperatures above 35 degree Celsius.
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An intense heatwave is affecting western Europe.
— European Space Agency (@esa) June 25, 2026
This image of land surface temperature was captured by the @CopernicusEU Sentinel-3 mission on Wednesday, 23 June in the late morning.
Cities and regions of France, Spain and southern Italy are experiencing unseasonal… pic.twitter.com/MHeBFGLNb8
Death toll rises in France and Spain
The heatwave has already resulted in deaths across several countries. In Spain, the MoMo monitoring system reported 327 heat-related deaths between Sunday and Thursday, with most fatalities occurring during the past two days, BBC reported.
France has also reported deaths linked to the extreme weather. French Health minister Catherine Vautrin expressed concern over the "emergence of deaths at home" as hospitals dealt with increasing pressure.
The number of drowning deaths in France since the start of the heatwave has reached 55, with many incidents occurring in unsupervised swimming areas, BBC reported.
Events cancelled as health concerns grow
The extreme temperatures forced organisers to cancel or postpone several public events. Paris Pride organisers said they were considering moving the march to September, while the Solidays music festival was cancelled following health concerns.
Thousands of people attending the Dutch music festival Defqon.1 were asked to leave after authorities issued a rare code red warning for extreme heat.
Several events in Germany, including the Hamburg Half Marathon, were also cancelled.
Scientists warn of wider impacts
Per BBC, the World Meteorological Organisation warned of "major impacts" to health, ecosystems, agriculture and labour.
Spokeswoman Clare Nullis said, "We need to get used to it, unfortunately."
Scientists at World Weather Attribution said the current heatwave was "the most severe ever recorded" in the region studied. They also noted that June is warming faster than any other month.
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Climate experts have warned that Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average, increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events across the continent.
FAQs:
Which countries recorded the highest temperatures during the heatwave?
Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and parts of the UK recorded unusually high temperatures.
Why are scientists concerned about the current heatwave?
Experts say it is one of the most severe heatwaves recorded and poses risks to health, ecosystems and infrastructure.
