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When summer arrives in southern Europe, millions of people flock to the Mediterranean for sunshine and warm sea breezes.
But across the region this year, extreme weather is pushing communities to their limits as record heat triggers fires, hospital visits, and severe health warnings, reports The Guardian.
Rising heat toll
France is feeling the sharp edge of the summer weather. The country recorded more than 5,700 excess deaths during a June heatwave, according to the national health agency.
Between 17 June and 2 July, officials registered 5,764 excess deaths across France. That represents a 36 percent jump in mortality. More than half of those deaths happened over a single three-day stretch from 25 to 27 June, with elderly citizens aged 75 and older accounting for roughly two-thirds of the total.
Health officials noted that people died of all causes, with none officially tied to high temperatures yet. Still, the surge stands out. Over the entire summer last year, France saw 5,722 excess deaths.
The dangerous conditions extend far beyond French borders. Across southern Europe, extreme heat continues to create severe hazards for millions of residents.
Fires sweep Spain
In Spain, emergency crews have been fighting massive forest blazes. Firefighters in the Guadalajara region north of Madrid battled a fire that burned roughly 32,000 hectares of land and forced 1,200 people to flee 34 villages.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the affected area and noted that Spain has already suffered 22 major wildfires this year.
“We must raise public awareness and not trivialise the climate emergency,” Sánchez said during his visit.
Spanish Ecological Transition Minister Sara Aagesen called the blaze “one of the largest in the recent history of our country”. Official weather forecasts warned of temperatures reaching 44C alongside strong, dry winds.
Tragedy in France
Back in France, two firefighters died in their vehicle on Tuesday in the Gironde region. A separate wildfire in the Var department burned 2,500 hectares and forced 400 residents to evacuate.
“The situation has been very difficult, 1,100 firefighters fought all night,” said William Vogl, a spokesperson for the Var firefighters.
Other nations faced severe weather too. Greece banned midday outdoor work in 41C heat, while Italy declared a high fire risk in Sicily. Meanwhile, a violent storm in Skopje, North Macedonia, sent 11 people to hospital.
Sources: The Guardian
