A severe heatwave is sweeping across Europe, breaking national records and causing widespread disruptions. The United Kingdom has broken its record for the hottest June temperature, with the mercury hitting 96.4 degrees Fahrenheit in Wiggonholt, according to provisional figures from the U.K. Met Office.
Heat-Related Deaths on the Rise
At least 42 people have drowned in France this week as thousands headed to water to escape temperatures soaring past 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The pattern is not new, with France’s public health authority recording 1,418 drowning incidents during the summer of 2025 — a 14% rise on the year before.
Britain’s May heatwave tells a similar story, with at least 19 people dying in open water last month, most of them children. The U.K. Met Office has issued exceptionally rare ‘Red Extreme Heat Warnings’ for Wednesday and Thursday.
Economic Impacts
The heatwave is also expected to have significant economic impacts, with analysts at Allianz predicting that by 2030, the cumulative GDP losses could reach between 5% and 7% in the countries most exposed to rising temperatures.
Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.
