Key Facts

• Germany may reach 40°C in parts of the west and southwest on Thursday and nationwide on Friday.
• The Czech Republic has issued an extreme weather warning for the heatwave.
• France’s government raised the health alert to its highest level to protect vulnerable people and boost hospital staff.
• Deaths linked to the heat include young people and older adults.
• Paris has seen a rise in death rates during the heatwave, and authorities advise against outdoor exercise during extreme heat.
• Several children have died in cars in the Paris region amid the heat.
• Some French nuclear plants stopped operating because of the heat.
• Severe thunderstorms and strong winds are expected in parts of France later this week.
• Europe is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, increasing the frequency of heatwaves and wildfires.