Europe and the US are hit by record heatwave - a thousand deaths in France, forests burning in Italy and the Balkans

Europe continues to suffer from a massive heatwave, which has already led to over a thousand additional deaths in France, large-scale forest fires in the Balkans, and infrastructure disruptions. At the same time, dangerous temperatures have also engulfed a significant part of the United States ahead of Independence Day celebrations, reports Reuters, as conveyed by UNN.

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According to the French public health agency, since the beginning of the abnormal heat in the country, about 1,000 additional deaths related to high temperatures have been recorded. The elderly were most often the victims of the heat.

French media report that funeral homes in Paris and its suburbs are working under extreme strain due to a sharp increase in the number of deceased.

Scientists emphasize that such a heatwave would have been "practically impossible" without climate change caused by human activity. According to their estimates, the current record-high nighttime temperatures have become about 100 times more likely than they were just two decades ago.

The situation remains no less difficult in the countries of the Balkan region. In Croatia, meteorologists have declared the highest, red level of danger for the capital Zagreb, as well as the popular tourist cities of Split and Dubrovnik.

Meanwhile, dozens of firefighters, with the support of four aircraft, continue to extinguish a large forest fire on the island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea.

In Serbia, the air temperature on Monday could reach 39 degrees, while in Albania, rescuers managed to contain a fire that destroyed significant areas of shrubs and olive groves near the village of Klos.

In Italy, a red level of danger due to heat is in effect in 22 cities at once – from Bolzano in the north of the country to Palermo in Sicily.

During Sunday prayers at the Vatican, pilgrims shielded themselves from the sun with umbrellas and fans, while Pope Leo XIV addressed the faithful from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.

At the same time, the heatwave has also spread to the United States. The US National Weather Service has warned of dangerous temperatures in central and eastern states ahead of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4.

Meteorologists note that the combination of high daytime temperatures and the lack of nighttime cooling significantly increases the risk of heatstroke and other illnesses, especially among the elderly and those without access to air conditioning.

According to Reuters, the heatwave, which has been ongoing in Europe since June 20, has already set a number of records for the start of summer, led to disruptions in energy infrastructure, damage to the transport network, and significantly increased the burden on healthcare systems. At the same time, meteorologists warn that after a brief easing of temperatures in Western Europe, the heat may intensify again as early as next week.

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