Hospitals in the United Kingdom are struggling with extreme heat, as medical staff collapse during shifts. Some healthcare workers have experienced seizures in rooms over 30 degrees Celsius without air conditioning. The Royal College of Nursing called these conditions inhumane. The UK's buildings were not designed for such high temperatures and lack cooling systems.
This is part of a larger crisis across Europe, where over 135 million people are experiencing temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius. This is the fifth severe heat event this summer. Forecasters predict temperatures could reach 38 degrees Celsius in England and 40 degrees Celsius in France. Austria and Slovakia have already recorded their highest temperatures ever.
Rivers like the Rhine and the Danube have shrunk to historic lows. This affects transportation and industry. Nuclear power plants in Hungary and Romania had to stop operations because the river water was too low to cool their reactors safely. The dry land has also led to over a thousand fires in England and Wales this year. Across the European Union, fires have destroyed more land than last year.
Heat alerts are in place in Italy. In June, a heatwave caused at least 12,000 excess deaths in nine European countries. The World Health Organization reported over 10,000 additional deaths in five nations due to the heat.
Europe is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world. This extreme weather is expected to continue through August and into autumn, showing that infrastructure built for a past climate is no longer suitable.