Temperatures in Britain and Switzerland hit record highs for June on Thursday, as much of Western Europe is gripped by a deadly early summer heatwave. The heatwave has killed dozens of people, disrupted power supplies and forced the closure of schools and cultural landmarks. French and British authorities are reminding people to adjust their daily habits to avoid heatstroke.
The temperature in Paris reached 40.9 degrees Celsius (105.6 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, a record high for June, and the high temperatures continued on Thursday. The highest temperature in Montsouris Park, located south of Paris, was just below 40 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office said the temperature in southwest England reached 36.7 degrees Celsius on Thursday, which was initially deemed the highest June temperature on record in the UK, surpassing the record just set the day before.
The Met Office has extended a red heat warning for large areas of southern England until Friday, the first time such warnings have been issued for three consecutive days in the country. The Netherlands issued a similar alert for Friday.
Andy Page, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: "Everyday life may be seriously affected and the public should try their best to adjust their daily routines to cope with this high temperature weather. So far, such high temperatures are extremely rare in the UK."
The Swiss Meteorological Department said that the temperature in the country exceeded 37 degrees Celsius for the first time in June on Thursday, and the temperature in Basel on the border with Germany and France even reached 38 degrees Celsius.
The high temperatures are expected to spread further to the east and south, with Germany, Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic also expected to face sweltering weather in the coming days.