German Caritas chief calls for open churches to shelter heat‑exposed public

Record summer temperatures of around 40 °C have caused concrete highway sections in Germany to buckle and crack, a phenomenon known as “blow‑ups”. Experts say older concrete slabs with pre‑existing damage cannot expand sufficiently, leading to sudden break‑aways, while asphalt surfaces develop “sweating decks” that can soften and deteriorate under prolonged heat. The Autobahn GmbH has increased inspections to spot such failures early.

At the same time, the heat wave has left homeless people in Austria especially vulnerable. Services such as the Neunerhaus café, Caritas day centres, and several temporary “cool zones” in churches and community centres have been opened to provide water, shade, food and medical care.

In Berlin, Caritas President Eva Maria Welskop‑Deffaa urged authorities to keep more churches open as cooling shelters, stating “Es sollten wieder mehr sein”. She warned that broader access must be balanced with security measures to prevent theft and vandalism, and suggested recruiting volunteers to help manage the sites.