Extreme heat melts Europe; 40-45°C temperatures break all-time records, citizens struggle to cope

A severe heatwave is shattering temperature records across Europe, with France enduring its hottest days on record and the United Kingdom reaching 36.1°C on its warmest June day. Spain, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland have also broken June records, with western France hitting 39-43°C. Scientists attribute the early timing and extreme severity to climate change, with research showing such heatwaves are becoming five times more frequent due to human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.

The heatwave has already caused deaths, including dozens of drownings in France as people attempted to cool down. The event coincides with record global sea surface temperatures and active El Niño conditions, with Australia, Asia and the South Pacific facing hotter, drier conditions ahead. India and Pakistan have battled sustained deadly heatwaves since April.