Power outages hit France as record heatwave sweeps Europe

France recorded its hottest day since 1947 on Wednesday, according to the national weather agency, surpassing the previous record set the day before.

Meteo-France reported that the national temperature indicator, which averages daytime and nighttime temperatures from 30 stations, rose to 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). This follows a provisional measurement of 29.8 degrees Celsius (85.64 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, which set a new record the previous day.

Experts said the extreme weather is being driven by atmospheric and circulation patterns that trap hot air in place for days, causing the mercury to rise slowly, as global warming exacerbates these factors.

According to Meteo-France’s announcement on Wednesday, France’s heatwave is expected to continue this weekend, with temperatures forecast to reach 40 to 42 degrees Celsius (104-107.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

The heatwave triggered the country’s first significant blackout during this recent extreme weather, following a heat-related transformer incident that left about 68,000 households without electricity in Finistere’s northwest on Wednesday, authorities reported.

While teams worked overnight to resolve the issue that occurred late Tuesday, power is not expected to be fully restored until at least the end of Wednesday.

Up to 106,000 clients of the French power network were left without power by late Tuesday as scorching temperatures strained infrastructure built before human-driven climate change made heatwaves longer, more frequent and more intense, according to scientists.

Meanwhile, sales of fans and air conditioners soared in a country where most buildings are not designed to withstand extreme heat.

With 31 departments currently on orange alert, more than 90% of the French population is exposed to extreme heat, with temperatures of 39 to 41 degrees Celsius (102.2F-105.8 degrees Fahrenheit) expected on Wednesday from Brittany to Paris and across much of the southwest.

Authorities reported that at least 48 people in France have died from drowning while trying to escape the intense heat, and two young children also lost their lives in a car due to the heat.

“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 Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the WHO.

The WHO warned that the heatwave affecting Europe was putting people’s “health at risk”.

Earlier, it was reported that a deadly heatwave had gripped Europe, prompting alerts across multiple countries.