Intense Heatwave Grips Europe and USA

By GT24x7 Correspondents · 29 June 2026 · GlobalToday24x7

An intense heatwave is sweeping across Europe, continuing to cause widespread disruption with record-breaking temperatures. The World Health Organization has reported more than 1,300 excess deaths since June 21.

France has recorded 1,000 excess deaths during the blistering heatwave. According to the French public health ‌agency, most of the fatalities involved people aged 65 and older.

Lithuania had its hottest June day on record on June 28.

The Lithuanian national weather service said a high of 36.3°C was recorded in the southern town of Druskininkai, surpassing the previous June record of 35.7°C.

In Czech Republic, heat records were broken on June 28 for the second day in a row.

A high of 41.1°C was recorded in Doksany, North of Prague. In the city’s historic old town, fire trucks sprayed water over crowds to help cool them down.

Poland recorded its hottest day ever on June 28. A high of 40.5°C was recorded in Slubice.

Capital city Warsaw also broke its city record, reaching 37.6°C, breaking a record set in 2013.

In Rome, a heatwave smart watch is helping protect elderly residents by enabling remote health monitoring and emergency alerts. The wrist-worn device also includes motion sensors that can detect falls and continuously track movement.

Local authorities are hailing the device as a key health prevention tool, amid Europe’s ongoing heatwave, with Rome temperatures reaching the upper 30°C.

Residents and tourists in Vienna are cooling off in the Danube and public fountains as scientists warn that human-driven climate change is making extreme heat more frequent, long-lasting, and more intense, with locals urging politicians to take stronger action.

In Germany's Berlin, police used water cannon to spray at people as they arrived at the Olympic stadium for a concert of the U.S. Singer Bruno Mars.