A severe heatwave has swept across continental Europe, prompting red alerts in France, Italy, and Spain as temperatures breached 40 degrees Celsius. The United Kingdom has issued a travel warning for British nationals visiting the affected regions, advising them to take precautions against extreme heat. The Met Office has placed parts of southern England under a yellow heat-health alert, although the current high temperatures are not expected to reach the levels seen on the continent.
France recorded 42.1C in the southern city of Nîmes, while Italy’s capital Rome reached 40.6C.
Spain’s Seville reported 44.2C, the highest so far this summer. Authorities across the affected countries have urged vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions, to remain indoors during peak hours.
The heatwave has also raised concerns about wildfires, with blazes reported in several regions. The UK Foreign Office updated its travel advice, warning of potential disruptions to transport and water supplies. The extreme weather event is attributed to a high-pressure system drawing hot air from North Africa.
Climate scientists have linked increasing frequency and intensity of such heatwaves to global warming.
