Outdoor work has been banned in over half of Italy during the hottest parts of the day as a heat wave sweeps through Europe.
The massive heatwave has smashed the June temperature records in Spain, Portugal, and England.
According to Spain’s weather service, Aemet, average temperatures for June “shattered records”, reaching 23.6°C. According to the weather service, this is even higher than the country experiences in July and August.
The monthly average is also 3.5°C higher than the average over the period from 1991 to 2020.
While monthly average data is yet to be released for Portugal, the country recorded a daily temperature for June of 46.6°C.
The scorching temperatures are thought to have claimed three lives, and admissions to hospital units in parts of Italy have risen by 15-20%.
In Turkey, many have been forced to evacuate from their homes due to wildfires, which have also forced the closure of schools in parts of France due to education unions warning that the classrooms were far too hot for students.
The Education Ministry said around 1,350 schools will be fully or partially closed, up from 200 earlier in the week.
The heat has also had an impact on tourism, with many of Europe’s most popular tourist attractions closing. This includes the Eiffel Tower, which shut when Paris was expected to hit 38°C, and the Atomium monument in Brussels, famed for its giant stainless steel balls, closing as temperatures climbed towards 37°C.
The heatwave has caused reduced spending by tourists in affected areas, especially in outdoor markets and restaurants.
The French national rail operator, SNCF, also confirmed that train travel between France and Italy had been suspended for several days after violent storms hit.
