Severe Heatwave Grips Europe as Temperatures Soar Past 35C

Millions of people across Europe, including in France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, are enduring another wave of extreme temperatures as the continent's latest heatwave intensifies. Weather agencies recorded temperatures above 35C (95F) in several European countries on Thursday, with more than 135 million people forecast to face scorching conditions.

The United Kingdom recorded its hottest day of the year, with temperatures in west London soaring to 38.1C (100.5F), surpassing the previous high of 38C (100.4F) recorded in June. Europe remains the planet's fastest-warming continent and is in many places ill-equipped for such extreme weather. Repeated heatwaves and drought have fueled a summer of wildfires and been linked to thousands of deaths, with scientists attributing these frequent events to human-induced climate change.

In Britain, nurses have collapsed from heat exhaustion while working in hospitals lacking adequate cooling, according to the Royal College of Nursing. NHS worker and pharmacist Bailey Williamson described the unbearable conditions, noting that sick patients in hospital beds are struggling to breathe. Hospitals have reported an increase in heatstroke cases as the NHS struggles to keep pace with the crisis.

Meanwhile, the France Meteo weather service recorded 38C (100.4F) in Paris, placing much of the country on heatwave alert. Similar high temperatures were forecast to impact 29 million Italians, particularly along the west coast, in the Po Valley, the heel of the boot of Italy, and on the islands. In Spain, Aemet recorded temperatures as high as 37C (98.6F) in the center of the country, affecting an estimated 25 million people across the Iberian Peninsula.