French and British health services reported a surge in emergency calls and visits as the heat struck the elderly and the ill. London Ambulance Service said the extreme heat on Wednesday had led to the highest number of life-threatening emergency calls in a day. In France, Paris recorded 25 cardiac arrests in a single 24 hour period, an extremely high number compared with the usual count of around 10.
In Germany, temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in some areas on Friday, breaking the previous national record of 39.6 degrees Celsius. Most of the Netherlands remained under a red alert. The authorities have advised people to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, while most schools have been closed. Numerous events, including the Dutch festival Defqon.1 has been cancelled.
While the heat eased slightly in some parts of western Europe, countries further east are warning the worst is yet to come. The Czech Republic and Hungary have issued red alerts for the weekend, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 40 degrees Celsius. Countries across the Balkans are also preparing for another spell of severe weather.
At least 150 million Europeans were reported to experience temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius on Friday.
