Four dead after record-breaking heatwave sweeps Europe
Europe heatwave: Swiss nuclear reactor shuts down amid soaring temperatures
- A deadly heatwave is sweeping across Europe, claiming four lives and triggering widespread wildfires.
- Spain reported two fatalities from a wildfire in Catalonia, while France confirmed two heatwave-related deaths and 300 hospitalisations.
- Italy issued red alerts for 18 cities, and Swiss utility Axpo shut down one reactor unit at the Beznau power plant and halved output at another because of the high temperature of river water.
- Spain experienced its hottest June on record, with meteorologists describing the current heatwave as unusually early and exceptional.
- Scientists link the extreme temperatures and rising global heat to greenhouse gas emissions, noting that last year was the planet's hottest on record.