Heat waves are raging in Europe this summer: 80 million people experience temperatures exceeding 40 degrees, and the drop in Danube water levels affects nuclear power
Data from the European Climate Monitoring Agency shows that extreme heat this summer caused more than 25,000 excess deaths and affected energy supplies.
Quick Look
- Europe suffered a record-breaking heat wave this summer, with 80 million residents experiencing temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, resulting in more than 25,000 excess deaths.
- Extreme weather has triggered droughts and wildfires, and forced Bulgaria's Kozloduy nuclear power plant to reduce power generation due to falling water levels in the Danube River.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Europe is experiencing the hottest weather on record this summer, and most infrastructure is not designed for extreme heat. Water levels in the Danube have dropped due to drought, affecting the operation of nuclear power plants that rely on the river for cooling.
(Central News Agency, Paris, 21st Comprehensive Foreign News Report) Europe continues to be shrouded in a deadly heat wave this summer. Data from the European Climate Monitoring Agency show that from mid-June to mid-August, 80 million residents have been exposed to temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Most areas have never experienced such extremely hot weather in the past.
Agence France-Presse reported that several heat waves have hit several European countries this year, triggering severe droughts, forest wildfires and crop failures, and causing more than 25,000 excess deaths.
According to data from the European Union's climate monitoring agency, the Copernicus Climate Change Service, Western Europe suffered the hottest summer on record this year, with record high temperatures observed from June to July.
Since mid-June, 30 million people in France, 23 million people in Spain, and 8 million people each in Germany and Italy have been exposed to temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius.
Many buildings in areas affected by the heat wave, including hospitals, schools and nursing homes, are not equipped with air-conditioning and other cooling facilities because they have never experienced such extremely hot weather before.
According to data, heat waves with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius affect about 80% of European residents, or about 490 million people.
Heat waves expose people to high temperatures and last for long periods of time. More than 20 million people in France have experienced temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius for at least 21 days, five times the number of days in the summer of 2022.
The 35-degree Celsius heat wave also hit countries that have rarely experienced extreme heat in the past, such as the United Kingdom, Belgium and Poland.
In addition, the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy issued a statement today saying that in response to the sharp drop in the water level of the Danube River that flows through the country, one of the two reactors of the state-owned Kozloduy nuclear power plant located on the Danube River will reduce the load to generate about 120 million watts (MW).
The Kozloduy nuclear power plant, which relies on the Danube River for cooling, supplies more than one-third of Bulgaria's electricity.
The energy ministry stressed that the move was aimed at "ensuring the safe operation of nuclear power plants", adding that forecasts for the upper reaches of the Danube still showed "water levels continuing to fall".
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant will maintain load reduction until water levels rise again
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What are the specific data on crop yield reductions caused by heat waves in Europe?
- Will Danube water levels continue to fall in the coming weeks?
