France Power Outages as Europe Faces Extreme Heatwave

Much of Western Europe is experiencing an intense heatwave that has broken temperature records, disrupted infrastructure, and caused widespread power outages, particularly in France.

In France, authorities confirmed the country recorded its hottest day since records began in 1947. The national weather agency Météo-France reported that temperatures reached unprecedented levels, surpassing previous records set just a day earlier.

The extreme heat has also triggered significant disruption to the electricity network. A heat-related transformer failure left tens of thousands of households without power in northwestern France, as infrastructure struggled under extreme temperatures.

Officials warned that the heatwave will continue, with forecasts predicting temperatures reaching up to 40–42°C across several regions. More than 90 percent of the population has been exposed to extreme heat conditions under ongoing weather alerts.

The World Health Organization World Health Organization warned that the heatwave is posing serious health risks, urging governments to accelerate climate adaptation measures.

“We cannot afford further delay. Leaders must prioritise investment in climate-resilient health systems, while also accelerating climate action and mitigating the drivers of the climate crisis,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

In the United Kingdom, the Met Office recorded its hottest June day on record, with temperatures reaching 35.7°C. Authorities issued rare red heat alerts as transport disruptions and school closures spread across affected regions.

Other countries including Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, and Croatia have also issued high-level heat warnings as the heatwave expands across Europe.

Spain reported record-breaking average June temperatures, while Italy placed multiple cities under red alerts. Eastern Europe is expected to experience further temperature spikes in the coming days, with forecasts suggesting possible new records.

Experts say the prolonged heat is being intensified by atmospheric patterns and climate change, making heatwaves more frequent, longer, and more severe across the continent.