Due to extreme temperatures, two people have tragically lost their lives in Spain's Catalonia region amid a significant heatwave across Europe. Firefighters discovered the bodies after extinguishing a fire in Coscó, as authorities warn of rising heat-related incidents during these hot months.
In France, a 10-year-old American girl visiting the Palace of Versailles collapsed and later died due to heat illness. The country has also reported two other heat-related fatalities, highlighting rising temperatures as the UN warns that such weather patterns are becoming normal due to human-induced climate change.
Spain has faced its hottest June on record, with average temperatures surpassing previous highs, while forecasts predict even more intense heat in the coming days. French emergency services treated over 300 cases related to heat stress on a recent Tuesday.
The situation is similarly alarming in Italy, where extreme temperatures have led to the deaths of a 75-year-old man and a construction worker suffering from heatstroke. Power outages have compounded the issues, as energy demand surged in response to the sweltering conditions affecting major cities.
Experts highlight the vulnerability of older adults and low-income workers, who often endure harsher exposure to extreme weather. As heatwaves become more common, urgent calls for climate action and effective adaptation measures grow louder, especially as hotter cities exacerbate health risks.
With the World Meteorological Organization linking these intense heat events to climate change, the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing urban areas for future extremes cannot be overstated.
