Paris (France) (AFP) - Here are the latest developments in Europe’s heatwave.

Scientists have shown that recurring heatwaves are a clear marker of global warming, and warn they are set to become more frequent, longer and more intense.

35C-plus for 94 million

At least 94 million people in Europe are expected to experience temperatures above 35C on Wednesday, most of them in France and Spain, according to AFP calculations.

Maximum temperatures are expected to surpass 30C for more than 350 million people across Europe (excluding Turkey), representing nearly two-thirds of the population, according to an analysis based on forecasts from the German weather service and 2025 population projections from the Joint Research Centre.

More heatwaves inevitable: IPCC chair

The heatwave scorching Europe has become worse than some scientific projections feared, the head of the UN’s climate experts panel said Wednesday, warning that the continent will doubtless face more extremes as the planet warms.

“Inevitably, we’re going to experience more of what we’ve been seeing over the last few days,” the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s chairman Jim Skea told journalists.

Heatwave risking health: WHO

“Europe’s heatwave is closing schools and putting people’s health at risk,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization.

“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.”

Spain breaks records

Spain’s weather agency said the daily average temperature on Monday was 28.08C and 28.17C on Tuesday – the highest ever recorded for June.

Taken together, the two days also marked the highest average minimum temperatures for June since 1950, with 20.14C on Monday and 19.81C on Tuesday.

Hottest day in France

France on Tuesday experienced its hottest day since measurements began in 1947, the national weather agency said.

The national temperature indicator – an average of daytime and nighttime temperatures across 30 stations – reached 29.8C, Meteo-France said, citing provisional data.

End-of-school exams have been rescheduled while workers at a site of Jeep maker Stellantis near Mulhouse ended their shifts early in protest at sweltering working conditions.

Blistering heat in Italy

Environmental campaigners Greenpeace said they had recorded surface temperatures of up to 80C in the heavily asphalted area around Rome’s Termini railway station.

Sixteen Italian cities, including Rome, are under red alert for heat on Wednesday, with construction workers and delivery riders told not to work between 12:30 pm and 4:00 pm.

40C forecast in Austria

Austria’s weather service on Wednesday issued the highest heat alert for the weekend and Monday for the east of the country, including the capital Vienna, as well as several cities in the south, warning that temperatures could soar above 40C.

The service advised people to take precautions, such as staying indoors during the hottest hours of the day.

UK on red alert

A rare red alert for extreme heat came into force in part of the UK on Wednesday morning, with the Met Office forecasting temperatures potentially as high as 40C, unprecedented for the time of year.

The red “extreme heat” warning for Wednesday and Thursday extends to parts of central and southern England, including London and Birmingham, the UK’s two biggest cities.

Dutch try to cool off

Temperatures hit 34C in Amsterdam, where the authorities have set up 23 “Koel plekken” or cool spots in places such as public libraries, community centres and supermarkets.

“We offer people free water, sometimes with ice cubes. We provide them with a place to sit and enjoy the air conditioning, and they can use the restrooms,” said Fatima Allali, 25, who works in a library in the Nieuw-west district.

Landmarks close early

In Paris, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, two of the most visited tourist attractions in the world, announced earlier closing times because of the heatwave.

Another usually crowded French landmark, the spectacular Mont Saint Michel island in Normandy, urged visitors to “put off your visit during the red alert”.

One of Belgium’s best-known monuments, the space-age Atomium in Brussels, which is made of steel, will close earlier to visitors from Wednesday to Friday, to avoid operating during the hottest part of the day, its management said.

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