Punishing heatwave sweeping across Europe, prompting crisis talks in France

PARIS/BERLIN/ROME - A punishing heatwave sweeping across much of Europe prompted emergency meetings in France, nationwide warnings in Germany and strains on tourists and residents in Italy, as temperatures climbed towards record levels.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu was due to hold a crisis meeting on Saturday after the national weather agency Meteo France warned the heat would persist into next week, describing it as comparable to major episodes in 2003 and 2019.

By Sunday, forecasters said temperatures of 39 to 40 degrees Celsius would stretch from the southwest through the Paris region into Burgundy, with some areas possibly reaching 41C.

Temperatures are expected to peak on Monday, potentially matching historic highs.

Germany also faced near-nationwide heat alerts, with temperatures approaching 38C. The DWD weather service cautioned that a combination of heat and humidity could trigger severe thunderstorms.

COOLING BENEATH A ROMAN TEMPLE

Beyond the Alps, temperatures expected to reach 36–37C were transforming daily life and tourism in some Italian towns.

Visitors queued under a blazing sun outside the Colosseum as Rome's summer heat turned sightseeing into a test of endurance. Some sought relief in the cooler underground spaces beneath the half-hidden remains of the Temple of Claudius.

In the northern city of Bologna, one of the hottest in the peninsula, people splashed water on their faces at the central 16th-century Fountain of Neptune and sheltered in the shade of the porticoes.

Poles in Warsaw meanwhile sought relief from the heat at popular summer spots along the Vistula River.

HEATWAVES TAKE ECONOMIC TOLL

Scientists say climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and intense across Europe, raising the risk of health emergencies and economic disruption during the summer months.

Authorities in Paris moved to ease the impact on residents, with Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire ordering parks to remain open around the clock.

The economic toll of extreme heat is also drawing attention.

Bank of France Governor Emmanuel Moulin said short-term effects on growth were "somewhat ambiguous", citing both reduced productivity and increased energy use, but warned that over the medium term heatwaves weigh on economic activity.

(Reporting by Giselda Vagnoni in Rome, Dominique Vidalon in Paris, Rachel More in Berlin; Editing by Jan Harvey)