Two heat-related deaths in Italy marked the latest casualties of an unprecedented early summer heatwave gripping Europe, with temperatures exceeding 46°C (115°F) in Spain and Portugal, while wildfires forced mass evacuations in Turkey and Greece. The deaths of the victims—a 47-year-old construction worker in Bologna and a 70-year-old tourist caught in flash floods near Turin—emphasised the deadly consequences of extreme weather events intensifying across the continent.
Spain’s Aemet agency reported all-time June temperature records shattered, with El Granado hitting 46°C and Mora, Portugal reaching 46.6°C—figures under official verification. Italy activated red alerts in 21 cities, while Tuscany hospitals saw 20% spikes in admissions. The Lombardy region banned outdoor work from 12:30–16:00 until September, as 13 Italian regions warned residents to stay indoors during peak heat.
In France, Paris issued its first heatwave red alert in five years, closing 1,350 schools, as 46 other regions baked under record June temperatures. Climate Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher called the crisis “unprecedented,” with the Eiffel Tower closing its summit due to unsafe conditions.
Wildfires and Infrastructure Strain
Turkey evacuated 50,000 people as 263 wildfires raged across Izmir, Bilecik, and Hatay, per Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli. In Greece, coastal towns near Athens burned, destroying homes, while Montenegro also battled blazes. The Rhine River’s falling water levels disrupted German shipping, raising freight costs as temperatures neared 38°C.
Even Wimbledon faced its hottest opening day at 32.9°C, with London’s Heathrow hitting 33.1°C. The Adriatic Sea’s warming waters accelerated invasive species growth like lionfish, while alpine glaciers melted at alarming rates.
Climate Scientists Sound Alarm
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk linked the disaster to fossil fuel dependence, warning heatwaves threaten “rights to life and health.”Professor Richard Allan (University of Reading) noted greenhouse gases trap heat, turning “moderate events into extremes.” The UN IPCC confirms such crises will worsen without rapid emissions cuts.
