London [UK], July 2: A blistering early summer heatwave is making its way from the Iberian Peninsula northwards across Europe, forcing thousands of schools to close in France and prompting health warnings.
The Mediterranean Sea was warmer by up to 6 degrees Celsius (10.8 degrees Fahrenheit) than usual for the time of year, hitting a record of as much as 30C (86F) in Spain's Balearic Sea as a heat dome trapped hot air above Europe, the country's weather forecaster Aemet said.
According to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, experiencing a temperature increase twice the global average. This causes extreme heatwaves earlier in the year and persists into later months.
French forecaster Meteo-France said the heat in France was set to peak on Tuesday, reaching 40-41C (104-106F) in some areas and 36-39C (97-102F) in others.
The country had experienced its hottest June day on record on Monday. Sixteen departments will be at the highest level of alert from noon, with 68 at the second-highest level.
The Education Ministry said some 1,350 schools will be fully or partially closed due to the heat, up significantly from about 200 on Monday. The top floor of the Eiffel Tower will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, and visitors are advised to drink plenty of water.
The extreme heat also raised the risk of field fires as farmers in France, the European Union's biggest grain producer, start harvesting this year's crop.
Some farmers worked through the night to avoid harvesting during peak afternoon temperatures.
In the Indre region of central France, which has seen a spate of field fires since late June, authorities banned fieldwork between 2pm (12:00 GMT) and 6pm (16:00 GMT).
As far north as the Netherlands, some regions were placed on the second-highest alert on Tuesday, with temperatures forecast to reach 38C (100F).
In Amsterdam, extra measures were taken to protect the homeless, while officials in Eindhoven and Arnhem deployed teams to check in on vulnerable elderly people.
Schools in Rotterdam and across West Brabant have adopted "tropical schedules", which involve shorter hours and additional water breaks for pupils to reduce heat exposure.
Health alerts have been issued across Europe, with residents and tourists alike seeking ways to keep cool.
According to insurance company Swiss Re, extreme heat kills up to 480,000 people annually around the world. This exceeds the combined death toll from floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes.
Scientists say greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are a key cause of climate change, with deforestation and industrial practices being other contributing factors. Last year was the planet's hottest on record.
Source: Qatar Tribune
