The extreme heat that engulfed Western Europe this week has reached the central and eastern parts of the continent. In Germany, due to air temperatures of up to +40°C, highways began to crack, and railway companies canceled some trips and urged passengers to avoid non-essential travel. This is reported by AP, as conveyed by UNN.
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In particular, on the A2 autobahn near Berlin, the concrete surface deformed and cracked in several places due to overheating, forcing the closure of certain road sections. Other damage to highways has also been reported in various regions of the country.
German railway operator Deutsche Bahn and other carriers recommended that passengers refrain from long-distance and regional travel this weekend.
Germany's transport infrastructure will be severely impacted this weekend due to the record heat
Additionally, in the city of Dormagen, residents of a nursing home were evacuated due to dangerous indoor temperatures. According to rescuers, the temperature inside the building reached +35°C. One resident died overnight, but it is not yet known whether the heat was the cause of death.
French hospitals are operating under increased strain
In France, where the peak of the heat is gradually subsiding, hospitals continue to operate under significant strain due to a sharp increase in the number of patients with heatstroke, dehydration, and cardiovascular complications.
In Paris, the AP-HP public hospital network activated an emergency response plan across all 38 medical facilities.
Over the past 24 hours, emergency departments have received nearly 3,000 patients, more than a third above the usual rate. A significant portion of those hospitalized are people over 75 years old.