School closures, frozen bananas and faith: Europeans struggle with heatwave
People try to cool off on a rocky beach as a heatwave hits Europe, in Sliema, Malta, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi
PARIS/BERLIN (Reuters) - French authorities announced school closures and traffic restrictions on Wednesday as swathes of Europe continued to wither under a powerful heatwave.
Residents and tourists alike cooled off in fountains, rivers and lakes from Paris to Munich as the mercury remained stubbornly in the upper 30s degrees Celsius. Parts of southern France and Spain recorded temperatures above 40 degrees.
Even the animals got special attention as Berlin zoo fed frozen bananas to its primates.
People sunbathe on a rocky beach as a heatwave hits Europe, in Sliema, Malta, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi
In the eastern German state of Brandenburg, police tweeted a picture of a man they had stopped for riding a moped wearing nothing but a helmet. Lawmakers in the state of Hesse were allowed to wear shorts in the regional assembly.
At the Vatican, elderly and infirm pilgrims watched Pope Francis' weekly audience on large screens in an air-conditioned auditorium to avoid the sweltering temperatures gripping Rome.
Those gathered outside on St Peter's Square shielded themselves with umbrellas.
A man sits in a rock pool by the sea as a heatwave hits Europe, in Sliema, Malta, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi
"It is about faith. I think it is wonderful that so many people come here with this sun at this time to be near the Holy Father. It is a demonstration of faith," Spanish student Francisco Cuka said.
The mass-selling German tabloid Bild offered readers tips on its website on how to stay cool. They included putting the duvet cover in the freezer before sleeping, sleeping with a rubber bottle filled with cold water and avoiding alcohol.
French and German authorities warned of water shortages, volunteers handed out bottled water to homeless people in Belgium and in Poland - which recorded its highest ever June temperature on Wednesday of 38.2 degrees Celsius - the use of fans helped drive power demand to a record high.
People enjoy themselves at the beach, as a heatwave hits Spain, in Malaga, southern Spain June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
Spain has said temperatures could exceed 42 degrees Celsius in coming days, the highest since 1975.
"An increase in heatwaves is one of the clearest impacts of climate change," said Hannah Cloke, a professor at Britain's University of Reading.
"Killer heat events of this kind will become even more widespread by the middle of the century in Europe, but this outlook could get worse unless action is taken to curb future greenhouse gas emissions."
Men enjoy themselves at the beach, as a heatwave hits Spain, in Malaga, southern Spain June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
In Paris and Lyon, French authorities imposed traffic restrictions to limit the environmental impact of the heatwave.
Even in Britain, which has so far evaded the heatwave and where music lovers heading to the Glastonbury festival in wellington boots in anticipation of the traditional downpours and muddy fields, meteorologists were predicting a blast of hotter weather at the weekend.
People enjoy themselves at the beach, as a heatwave hits Spain, in Malaga, southern Spain June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
(Reporting by Joseph Nasr, Thomas Escritt and Paul Carrel in Berlin; Antonio Denti and Fabiano Franchitti in Rome; Luke Baker in Paris; Alexandra Regida in Brussels; Joan Faus in Madrid; Marcin Goclowski in Warsaw; Writing by Gareth Jones; Editing by Alison Williams)
A young orangutan plays with a yellow ball at Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich, Germany, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Andreas GebertA chimpanzee holds ice with nuts and fruits at Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich, Germany, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Andreas GebertA young orangutan plays with a yellow ball at Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich, Germany, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Andreas GebertA hippopotamus rests in its enclosure in Schoenbrunn zoo, as a heatwave hits the country, in Vienna, Austria June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Leonhard FoegerA hippopotamus rests in its enclosure in Schoenbrunn zoo, as a heatwave hits the country, in Vienna, Austria June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Leonhard FoegerCaretakers feed sea lions Kito,14, and Yassie, 4, with gelatine cubes at the Paris Zoological Park in the Bois de Vincennes in the east of Paris, as a heatwave hits much of the country, France, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Charles PlatiauA caretaker feeds sea lion Yassie, 4, with gelatine cubes at the Paris Zoological Park in the Bois de Vincennes in the east of Paris, as a heatwave hits much of the country, France, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Charles PlatiauCaretakers throw ice to sea lions at the Paris Zoological Park in the Bois de Vincennes in the east of Paris, as a heatwave hits much of the country, France, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Charles PlatiauPeople enjoy the weather at a fountain in Berlin, Germany, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Hannibal HanschkeA dog cools off in the water of a fountain in Berlin, Germany, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Hannibal HanschkeA surfer rides a wave in the Eisbach river that runs through the English Garden in Munich, Germany, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Andreas GebertA man cools off in the water of a fountain in Berlin, Germany, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Hannibal HanschkePeople swim in the Eisbach river that runs through the English Garden in Munich, Germany, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Andreas GebertTourists fill bottles with water at a fountain, as a heatwave hits Spain, in Ronda, southern Spain June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Jon NazcaPeople brave heat to attend the general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Yara NardiA tourist uses an umbrella to protect himself from the sun, as a heatwave hits Spain, in Ronda, southern Spain June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Jon NazcaFossas eat frozen rabbit blood and rabbit head at the Paris Zoological Park in the Bois de Vincennes in the east of Paris, as a heatwave hits much of the country, France, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Charles PlatiauHumboldt penguins stand in enclaves behind sprinklers at the Paris Zoological Park in the Bois de Vincennes in the east of Paris, as a heatwave hits much of the country, France, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Charles PlatiauPeople cool off on a rocky beach as a heatwave hits Europe, in Sliema, Malta, June 26, 2019. Picture taken with long exposure. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit LupiA woman tries to cool off by the sea as a heatwave hits Europe, in Sliema, Malta, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit LupiCaretakers prepares to throw ice to sea lions at the Paris Zoological Park in the Bois de Vincennes in the east of Paris, as a heatwave hits much of the country, France, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Charles PlatiauA member of the clergy holds an umbrella ahead of the general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
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