France has banned alcohol at some events during major music festivals and 35 provinces are under a red heat alert as a brutal heatwave pushes temperatures to record levels.Temperatures of 39°C to 40°C are expected on Sunday from the southwest through the Paris region into Burgundy, with some areas possibly reaching 41°C. A heat wave has persisted for days, disrupting the entire country and forcing dozens of train cancellations and school suspensions. Temperatures are expected to top 43°C next week.
France heat wave map
Prime Minister Sebastian Le Cornu’s office said: “All events organized by the state and its institutions have been instructed not to serve alcoholic beverages.”The government banned alcohol in public places under a red alert, calling for restrictions to “protect emergency and medical services and allow medical staff to focus on caring for the most vulnerable”. Emergency restrictions apply to all public places within the affected sectors from noon on Sunday.To help Parisians and tourists cope with the hot weather, authorities kept parks and gardens in the French capital open overnight.Emmanuel Moulin, the governor of the Bank of France, warned that the heat wave would weigh on economic activity in the medium term. Climate change is making heat waves more frequent and intense across Europe, raising the risk of health emergencies and economic disruption during the summer, scientists say.The festival has been held for over 40 years and always takes place during the summer solstice. Last year, approximately 2 million people attended the event in Paris.
Heat wave sweeps Europe
A severe heat wave is sweeping across much of Europe, with heat warnings declared in most parts of Germany, with temperatures approaching 38°C. In Italy, with temperatures expected to reach 36-37°C, tourists queued in the scorching sun outside the Colosseum to seek relief in cool underground spaces.In Spain, the Football Association’s decision to close the giant screen fan zone set up in Madrid’s Plaza Colon means fans will have to watch Spain’s World Cup match against Saudi Arabia elsewhere.
