Power cuts in France leave thousands sweltering amid scorching heatwave

PARIS — Authorities in northern France were working Wednesday to restore electricity to thousands of homes affected by power outages, as a prolonged heatwave continued to grip much of western Europe.

Emergency efforts focused on restoring power to healthcare facilities and other critical infrastructure, with generators deployed to nursing homes after Tuesday’s outages, which officials attributed to a transformer incident worsened by extreme heat. Authorities said the disruption was accidental and heat-related, and confirmed that no injuries were reported.

The outages come as record-breaking temperatures sweep across the continent, with readings reaching as much as 18 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) above seasonal norms, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor. The extreme conditions have disrupted transportation systems, forced school closures, and led to the shutdown of several tourist destinations.

France’s national weather service, Meteo France, said the current conditions are comparable to the August 2003 heatwave, which lasted 16 days and was linked to an estimated 80,000 excess deaths across Europe.

Meteorologists have said the ongoing heatwave is being driven by an Omega block weather pattern, which traps high-pressure systems in place and allows temperatures to build over several consecutive days. It remains unclear how long the current episode will persist.

The World Meteorological Organisation has warned that Europe is warming at more than twice the global average, increasing the likelihood of prolonged and more intense heat events in the future.

Across affected countries, the heat has disrupted daily life and economic activity. Construction firms have adjusted working hours to protect workers from peak temperatures, while retailers report surging demand for cooling equipment such as fans and portable air conditioners. Farmers in some regions have shifted grain harvesting to nighttime hours due to fire risk restrictions during the day.

Authorities have also reported dozens of drowning incidents as people attempt to cool off in rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water.

In the United Kingdom, grid operators have requested additional power generation capacity as temperatures rise toward record levels. Health officials have issued a “red” heat alert—only the second of its kind—warning that the extreme heat poses a risk to life, including for healthy individuals as well as vulnerable populations.

Rail operators have also urged passengers to limit travel to essential journeys during the hottest days of Wednesday and Thursday, citing speed restrictions imposed due to track safety concerns.

In southeastern France, two young children, aged two and four, were found dead in a hot car outside their home. Autopsy results indicated they died from extreme heat exposure. Regional prosecutors said the children had been left in the vehicle without the mother’s knowledge.

In Italy, the health ministry has issued its highest heat alert for 16 cities, including Florence, Milan, Rome, Turin, and Verona. Conditions are expected to intensify further, particularly across central and northern regions, with meteorologists warning that the heatwave could peak between Sunday and Monday.

Temperatures in parts of central Italy could reach 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit), while coastal areas such as Liguria may experience even higher “feels-like” temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) due to humidity.

Officials across Europe continue to monitor the situation closely as the heatwave persists, with no immediate relief in sight. -Reporting by Makini Brice, Sarah Young and Giselda Vagnoni; Editing by Clarence Fernandez/Reuters