Europe's Eastern Regions Brace for Severe Heatwave Alerts

WHO:

BBC News - French officials are raising health alerts to the highest level due to the heatwave.

Al Jazeera - The MoMo monitoring system in Spain is tracking heat-related deaths.

WHAT:

BBC News - Temperatures in Germany could hit 40C in some areas.

Al Jazeera - At least 101 million people in Europe are expected to face temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit).

Al Jazeera - 50 million people in France and 18 million in Germany are included in the 101 million affected.

Al Jazeera - Maximum temperatures are expected to surpass 30C (86F) for more than 380 million people across Europe.

Al Jazeera - The heatwave has been linked to 212 deaths in Spain between Sunday and Wednesday.

Al Jazeera - The number of heat-related deaths in Spain between May 16 and September 30 last year hit 3,832, an 87.6-percent increase from the same period in 2024.

WHERE:

BBC News - The heatwave is affecting Germany and France.

Al Jazeera - The heatwave is impacting regions across Europe, including Italy, Britain, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Croatia.

Al Jazeera - In mainland France, about 63 million people are expected to experience temperatures of more than 30C.

Al Jazeera - A three-year-old was found dead in a car in Saint-Gratien, a town in the Paris suburbs.

Al Jazeera - Parts of northern Spain, including Cantabria and the Basque Country, are under the highest alert due to soaring temperatures.

WHEN:

Al Jazeera - The French weather agency put three-quarters of France under a red alert for extreme heat starting at midday on Thursday until midday Friday.

Al Jazeera - The highest daily average temperatures in mainland Spain in June since at least 1950 were recorded on Monday and Tuesday, with figures of 28.08C and 28.17C, respectively.

WHY:

Al Jazeera - The heatwave is attributed to climate change, affecting public health and leading to increased mortality rates.

HOW:

Al Jazeera - The MoMo monitoring system compiles daily death statistics in Spain and compares them with forecast levels based on historical records and weather data from the national weather agency AEMET.

(UPDATED June 25, 2026 13:45 UTC)

French officials have raised health alerts to the highest level due to a severe heatwave affecting much of Europe, with temperatures in Germany potentially reaching 40 degrees Celsius. At least 101 million people across the continent are expected to face temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, and tragically, the heatwave has already been linked to 212 deaths in Spain over just a few days. The French weather agency has placed three-quarters of France under a red alert for extreme heat, which began at midday on Thursday and will last until midday Friday.