A severe heat wave swept across Europe, and the high temperatures led to the death of 40 people due to drowning in France.
At least 40 people have drowned in France over the past five days, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday, as a severe heat wave sweeps much of Europe. Most of the victims were young men swimming in unsupervised areas.Lecorno described the drowning incidents as a “tragic scourge” while holding an emergency cabinet meeting. Marina Ferrari, a minister whose responsibilities include youth, said most drownings were in lakes and canals. “During these heat waves, it is not easy to swim in unsupervised areas,” she told French radio.Among the dead was a 13-year-old girl who went swimming with her family in the Seine River without knowing how to swim.
A young professional footballer remains in a critical condition after being pulled from the Rhone River near Lyon. In Carpentras, southern France, two children, aged two and four, were found dead inside a family car on Monday.Read also: 20 people drowned in France as people take refuge in rivers and lakes to escape the heat wave
The “Omega Block” thermal dome rests over Europe
France recorded its hottest June day on record, with an average temperature of 29.8°C, and its warmest night with an average of at least 21.6°C. More than half of the country was placed on red alert, with the French Meteorological Agency warning of “exceptionally high temperatures, day and night” that could have a “strong health impact.”
Meteorologists expect the temperature in Paris to reach 40 degrees Celsius this week, while parts of central France will witness 43 degrees Celsius. The current heat wave is the second in about a month, after record temperatures in May.
The neighboring countries of Europe were in Chal Rihe Lu.
Meteorologists attribute the extreme conditions to the “omega block” — a weather pattern named after the Greek letter Ω, with a bulge of warmer high pressure sandwiched between two cooler low-pressure systems. Under normal conditions, the jet stream carries weather systems steadily from west to east.
But during an Omega block, this flow is disrupted and can bend dramatically northward and southward, isolating pressure systems.
The result is that hot, still air settles in the same area.Omega blocks usually last between three to 10 days, but they can last for weeks. Below the high pressure area in the center, conditions become hot and dry. High pressure also prevents cloud formation, leading to clear, sunny skies that allow temperatures to rise.The Royal Meteorological Institute in Belgium described the phenomenon as a “pot lid,” adding: “It has never been this hot before, for such a long time, at this early time of the year.”Britain lies on the border between a high-pressure system and cold air in the northwest, producing extreme heat in the south and east, and cooler and wetter conditions in the north and west, according to the UK Met Office.
Key developments across Europe:
Eiffel Tower: It closed early at 4pm on Tuesday and is expected to do so again on WednesdayLouvre: Closing time moved forward to 4pm Wednesday to SaturdayNuclear plant: The Gullvich plant in southwest France was closed because river water reached 28 degrees Celsius, the legal limit for coolingSchools: 845 schools closed their doors on Monday, and another 1,800 schools allowed early dismissalSpain: Red alerts in Andalusia, Cantabria and the Basque Country; Temperatures can reach 44 degrees CelsiusUK: The Met Office has issued a rare red warning for extreme heat, indicating a danger to lifeItaly: Red alerts in 15 cities, including Rome, Milan, Florence, Turin and VeniceGermany: Six fatal swimming accidents were reported; The Life Saving Society warns men against overestimating their abilitiesHolland: A code orange alert has been issuedBelgium: The National Heating Scheme has been activated for only the second time
