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The heatwave, which first swept across western Europe last week, has since spread eastward, breaking temperature records in Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany.
Police use water cannon to spray people with water as the arrive at the Olympic stadium for a concert of US singer Bruno Mars on June 28, 2026, in Berlin, as the German capital is expected to reach temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius during a heatwave in Europe. (Photo: AFP)
Europe is facing its most intense heatwave on record, with soaring temperatures setting new highs across several countries, increasing deaths and hospitalisations, and putting healthcare systems under severe pressure.
The extreme heat has also sparked widespread attention on social media, with videos showing people cooking eggs and bacon on frying pans left in the Sun. Other clips show chocolates melting inside shops, shopping carts and shoes warping in the heat, and bananas slipping out of their peels.
Slovakia registered a new temperature record on Monday when the mercury touched 40.5 degrees Celsius in Muzla near the Hungarian border, according to the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute. Later, the institute reported a new national record of 41 degrees Celsius in Turna nad Bodvou in the southeast of the country.
Hungary also came close to its all-time record after temperatures reached 41.8 degrees Celsius in Aszod, just below the national record of 41.9 degrees Celsius set in 2007.
Heat spreads across Europe
The heatwave, which first swept across western Europe last week, has since spread eastward, breaking temperature records in Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany.
Over the weekend, the Czech Republic recorded 41.9 degrees Celsius, Germany reached 41.7 degrees Celsius and Poland registered 40.5 degrees Celsius.
In Germany, local reports showed tram tracks melting under the heat, forcing tram services in Leipzig to stop over the weekend. In Berlin, police used water cannons to help residents cool down.
According to an AFP analysis of forecast data, around 130 million people across Europe were expected to experience temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, down from 190 million on Sunday.
The World Weather Attribution group said the heatwave was the most severe ever recorded in Europe and would have been “virtually impossible” this early in summer without climate change.
Deaths rise as hospitals come under strain
The World Health Organization said more than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded across Europe since June 21 due to high temperatures.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described Europe as the “fastest-warming continent on Earth”, saying it is warming at twice the global average.
“Right now 150 million people are living under extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are shut, grids are buckling,” he said.
He added that heat stress is often called the “silent killer” because European homes, schools and workplaces were not designed for such temperatures.
The UN health agency said the deaths included several children who died after being left inside locked vehicles and young people who drowned while trying to cool off in unsupervised swimming areas.
France reported at least 74 drowning deaths since June 18, while Poland recorded 17 drowning deaths on Sunday alone.
French health authorities also said there had been around 1,000 more deaths than usual since last Wednesday.
The National Funeral Federation said funeral home occupancy had risen above 60 per cent nationwide, compared with the normal summer level of 30 to 45 per cent. In Paris, funeral homes reached full capacity, forcing families to look outside the city.
Federation chief Elisabeth Charrier warned that delays in cremations and burials could create a “domino effect”. Several thousand homes in the Paris region also lost electricity.
Ukraine orders emergency power cuts
The heatwave has also affected Ukraine, where the power network is already under strain after years of Russian attacks.
Authorities ordered emergency power cuts in the western Rivne region to reduce pressure on the electricity grid, while homes and businesses in five regions were warned of further blackouts.
The state Hydrometeorological Centre forecast temperatures of between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius.
“The heat is also a serious test for equipment that has been operating under wartime conditions for more than four years and has withstood numerous attacks,” Yasno energy company chief Sergii Kovalenko said.
He added that repair work carried out during summer meant the power network was already operating at the limit of its capacity.
🥵 It’s so hot in Poland that people are frying eggs outdoorsIn Warsaw, a woman left a frying pan in the sun and, after a while, cooked an egg on it.
Poland is in the grip of an extreme heatwave, with temperatures approaching 40°C in some areas. On the bright side, you can… pic.twitter.com/YKzKdUZhft
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 28, 2026
Governments respond
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar urged state employees to work from home wherever possible. He also asked public services to reschedule outdoor work and appealed to restaurants to provide drinking water while keeping air-conditioned public spaces open.
Firefighters in Bosnia battled wildfires triggered by the extreme temperatures as the Balkans prepared for temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius.
In Vienna, resident Susanne said she was trying to cope by staying in the shade and drinking plenty of water. She also expressed hope that political leaders would respond to the growing impact of extreme heat.
(With AFP inputs)
About the Author
Shuddhanta Patra, a seasoned journalist with eight years of experience, serves as Senior Sub‑Editor at CNN News 18. With expertise across national politics, geopolitics, business news, she has influen…Read More
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