Bangkok: Europe continues to face extreme heat, with temperatures in Germany recording a new record high of 41.3 degrees Celsius. This has led to the cancellation of numerous public events and outdoor gatherings across the continent due to public health concerns.
According to Thai News Agency, Germany's all-time high temperature was recorded at 41.3 degrees Celsius in Saarbrcken, and several other areas, including the Rhineland-Palatinate region and Bavaria, experienced temperatures exceeding 40.7 degrees Celsius. This resulted in the cancellation of numerous public events and outdoor activities, such as the National Civil Defense Day celebrations in Freiburg and the Hamburg half-marathon, in order to alleviate the burden on emergency medical personnel and healthcare workers.
The extreme heat in Germany has also forced the Reichstag building in Berlin to close its glass dome and rooftop terrace throughout the weekend due to the intense heat. Meanwhile, German railways have issued warnings for passengers to avoid travel and are offering refunds due to the risk of wildfires and track disruptions.
In France, 55 deaths have been reported due to the extreme heat, mostly from drowning after people tried to cool off in unauthorized swimming areas. Paris authorities canceled Paris Pride and the Solidays music festival, and banned alcohol sales in the evenings as hospitals were overwhelmed with patients suffering from heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses. In Spain, the MoMo monitoring system reported over 327 heat-related deaths in the past five days. The Netherlands issued a near-nationwide red alert as temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius. The United Kingdom broke its record for the hottest consecutive day in June, with temperatures soaring to 37.1 degrees Celsius in Cavendish, Suffolk.
The heat mass is now moving away from Western Europe and is heading towards Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkan countries, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Serbia, where temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius in many countries this weekend. Local authorities in several countries have raised their alert levels and prepared their public health systems to cope with the crisis.