Brussels - Paris: Europe and the Arabs
Europe is experiencing a state of widespread alert as temperatures soar to unprecedented levels, exceeding 46 degrees Celsius in some areas, such as Huelva, Spain. This heatwave is expected to result in 4,500 deaths by July 3.
In Belgium, a heatwave plan has been activated at the Port of Antwerp: Postponing strenuous outdoor work, providing rest periods, and providing still drinking water.
Lennart Verstappen, spokesperson for the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, said: "We urge everyone to drink enough water and regularly use sunscreen. We provide sunscreen for this purpose. We also seek to adapt the plan to the temperature. We seek to schedule strenuous physical work in the morning when it is not too hot, or postpone it to a cooler time whenever possible."
In addition, many other companies are active in the port, taking measures in line with the recommendations and regulations of CEPA, the organization representing port workers and their employers. Their summer plan has already come into effect, stipulating, among other things, that port workers must be provided with clean, non-carbonated drinking water.
Due to the rising temperatures, port companies must provide additional rest periods during the summer months. The duration and frequency of these periods depend on the WBGT value in the region where the company is located. This value is calculated based on the temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation in a given area and is measured four times daily. If the maximum of 25.9 degrees is exceeded, employees are entitled to a 20-minute break. If the WBGT value exceeds 27.9 degrees, a 40-minute break is granted.
Daily Record Break: Highest Temperature Ever Recorded on July 1
On Tuesday afternoon, the temperature rose to 34.7 degrees in Uckel. This broke the daily record set in 2015 (34.5 degrees), according to KMI meteorologist David Dehenau on the X social media platform. We'll know the final result later today. A code orange for hot weather is in effect across the country (except for the coast) on Tuesday. The KMI predicts that high temperatures will exceed 35 degrees Celsius in many areas. Locally, they are also likely to exceed 37 degrees.
The Brussels Fire Brigade urged people not to leave young children alone in cars, even for a short time, especially given the high temperatures these days. "In this weather, a car can turn into an oven in minutes. A simple mistake can lead to serious consequences," it said, according to local media reports.
Barcelona investigates death of cleaner during heatwave.
Spanish authorities have opened an investigation into the death of a cleaner in Barcelona over the weekend, to determine whether the cause of death was the intense heatwave sweeping the country and region.
The sister of the 51-year-old woman told Antena 3 TV that the woman, who was cleaning Barcelona's old town on Saturday afternoon, died at her home later that day. She added that the woman told her colleague that she thought she was "dying."
The temperature in Barcelona reached 30.4 degrees Celsius on Saturday, according to the Spanish meteorological service (AEMET).
Italy, Greece, Portugal, France, and the Western Balkans are all experiencing intense heat waves that have caused numerous forest fires, amid warnings for citizens to avoid polluted air. According to the Brussels-based Euronews website, "In Albania, for example, 26 forest fires were reported between Sunday and Monday, while Serbia recorded its highest temperature last Thursday since records began in the 19th century.
In Turkey, more than 50,000 people have been evacuated, most of them due to a major fire near Izmir.
Marisol Iglesias Gonzalez, technical officer for climate change and health at the World Health Organization in Bonn, warned of the severity of the extreme heat wave, calling for more action to reduce "unnecessary and largely preventable deaths." Pierre Masselot, a statistician at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, explained to Politico that the countries likely to record the highest rates of excess deaths are Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Luxembourg, noting that "the worst days will be Tuesday and Wednesday."
Tourists and locals in Paris sought shade and canal banks as a severe heatwave gripped much of Europe.
As Paris sweltered under soaring temperatures on Monday, tourists and residents crowded into shade and canal banks to escape the brutal heat.
While air conditioning remains uncommon in much of France, authorities have stepped up efforts to protect vulnerable groups, including the elderly, the homeless, and those with outdoor occupations.
Along the River Seine, water sprinkler stations cooled passersby, offering brief respite from the stifling weather. Some tourists postponed visits to more stressful attractions, while others adapted to regular stops at public sprinklers. Belgian tourist Remi Levecq said, "Whether it's hot or not, Paris is Paris. We came to visit it; we just have to adapt when it's hot."
According to the World Health Organization's annual reports, heat in Europe claims the lives of more than 175,000 people annually, and this number is expected to rise unless authorities intervene quickly to implement environmental reforms that mitigate the effects of climate change.
The organization emphasized that climate change resulting from the burning of fossil fuels will increase the frequency and intensity of heat waves, exacerbating illness and death.
She issued recommendations for staying safe in extreme heat, including drinking plenty of water, avoiding exposure to midday heat, and keeping homes cool, paying special attention to those most at risk, such as the elderly, children, outdoor workers, pregnant women, and people with chronic illnesses. Gonzalez emphasized the need for caution for those taking medications such as antidepressants or blood pressure medications, as these can affect the body's ability to regulate temperature.