Agencies London

A record number of heat alerts are in place across France as the country, and other parts of southern and eastern Europe, remain in the grip of soaring temperatures. Some 84 of 96 of France’s mainland regions — known as departments — are currently under an orange alert — the country’s second highest.

France’s Climate Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher has called it an “unprecedented” situation. Heat warnings are also in place for parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, the UK and Balkan countries including Croatia. Both Spain and Portugal had their hottest June days on record at the weekend. 

Meanwhile, 21 Italian cities are also on the highest alert — including Rome, Milan and Venice, as is Sardinia. Mario Guarino, vice president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine, told AFP news agency hospital emergency departments across the country had reported a 10% increase in heatstroke cases.

Parts of the UK could see one of the hottest June days ever on Monday, with temperatures of 34°C or higher possible in parts of England. Much of Spain, which is on course to record its hottest June on record, also continues to be under heat alerts.

“I can’t sleep well and have insomnia. I also get heat strokes, I stop eating and I just can’t focus,” Anabel Sanchez, 21, told Reuters news agency in Seville. It is a similar situation in Portugal, where seven districts, including the capital, Lisbon, are on the highest alert level. Meanwhile, the German Meteorological Ser­vice has warned that temperatures could reach almost 38°C on Tuesday and Wedn­esday — further potentially record-breaking temperatures.

The heatwave has lowered levels in the Rhine River — a major shipping route — limiting the amount cargo ships can transport and raising freighting costs.Countries in and around the Balkans have also been struggling with the intense heat, although temperatures have begun to cool slightly.In Turkey, firefighters continue their efforts to put out hundreds of wildfires broken out in recent days.