Extreme heat persisted across central and eastern Europe, with the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland among the hardest hit as temperatures surged and records were broken. According to AFP estimates, at least 191 million Europeans were expected to face temperatures above 35°C during the day.

The heat remained intense across central and eastern Europe, with the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland hit hard as temperatures soared and records fell. At least 191 million Europeans were expected to face temperatures above 35C during the day, according to AFP estimates.

The World Health Organization said it had recorded more than 1,300 excess deaths in Europe since June 21. Overall, some 381 million Europeans were set to see temperatures exceed 30C, according to analysis based on forecasts from the German Meteorological Service and population data.

This heatwave is the most severe ever recorded in Europe, and would have been "virtually impossible" this early in the summer without climate change, the World Weather Attribution group of scientists said.

All-time temperature records have been broken in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as for the month of June in the UK and in Switzerland.


"Right now 150 million people are living under extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are shut, grids are buckling," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.

"Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating at twice the global average," he warned.

Storms brought some respite overnight, particularly in France after several days of temperatures close to 40C. But they also caused damage, as a man died near Brussels when a tree fell on his car, local media reported.