France declares red heat alarm as extreme temperatures close schools and cause deaths

A severe heat wave sweeping Europe, driven by an African‑origin high‑pressure system, prompted red‑level alerts across several countries. In France, the Meteo‑France agency raised red warnings for 49 départements and orange for 40, with temperatures reaching 42 °C in Bordeaux and 41 °C in Paris. The Ministry of Education ordered the closure of 845 schools and schedule changes at 1 800 others. The heat‑related fatalities total at least 18, including two children trapped in a parked car in Carpentras and three elderly individuals in Bordeaux, plus 13‑20 drownings as people sought relief in rivers and lakes.

Italy issued red alerts for 12 major cities and faced rolling electricity cuts in Turin. The United Kingdom saw metro services halted due to overheated rails, while Belgium cancelled several peak‑hour train services and warned of rail‑track deformation. Spain, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg and Switzerland also declared red or orange alerts, advising the public to stay indoors during the hottest hours and to stay hydrated. Authorities across the affected regions imposed bans on outdoor alcohol sales, limited public events, and urged citizens to avoid unsupervised water bodies.