UK weather: Parts of UK swelter in summer heatwave - live updates
‘Unprecedented’ alerts in France as blistering heat grips Europepublished at 16:17 British Summer Time
Kathryn Armstrong
BBC News
Image source, AFPFestival-goers faced high temperatures at Les Deferlantes music festival in southern France over the weekend
A record number of heat alerts are in place across France as the country, and other parts of southern and eastern Europe, remain in the grip of soaring temperatures.
Some 84 of 96 of France’s mainland regions — known as departments — are currently under an orange alert — the country’s second highest. France’s Climate Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher has called it an “unprecedented” situation.
Heat warnings are also in place for parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, the UK and Balkan countries including Croatia.
Both Spain and Portugal had their hottest June days on record at the weekend.
El Granado in Andalucía saw a temperature of 46C on Saturday, while 46.6C was recorded in the town of Mora in central Portugal on Sunday.
Many countries have emergency medical services on standby and are warning people to stay inside as much as possible.