Extreme Heat Sweeps Across Southern and Western Europe

Eastern Germany recorded a record high of 41.7°C for this time of year, while temperatures in southern France reached 43°C, prompting a nationwide red heat warning. The combination of high temperatures and intense sunlight triggered photochemical reactions in industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust, causing ground-level ozone levels across France, Spain, and Italy to reach “severe pollution” levels. As ozone irritates the respiratory tract, the number of patients visiting respiratory departments in hospitals across multiple countries has doubled compared to the previous month; Paris’s funeral refrigeration facilities are at full capacity, and the number of excess deaths caused by the heatwave continues to rise. The extreme heat has also caused aging sewage pipelines to rupture and leak in many parts of Europe, simultaneously increasing the risk of urban water and soil pollution.