At least three people have died as a heatwave – with temperatures of at least 40 degrees Celsius – hits Europe. The hot weather is linked to what is known as the Saharan Bubble phenomena.
Three swimmers have died on separate beaches in southern France in the last few days, according to news outlet LCI.
One of them was a 70-year-old man who apparently suffered a cardiac arrest due to the “thermic shock” of jumping into cold water on a broiling hot day.
A 2,000 mile wide plume of hot air has been blown north from the deserts of Africa and is due to reach the UK later this week.
The heatwave has sparked some very odd behaviour elsewhere in Europe.
Germany
A 32-year-old German man in Hemer, near Düsseldorf, stripped off and ran naked through the freezer section of a supermarket.
Speed restrictions have been placed on the autobahns – which are usually unlimited – as the unusually warm weather raises the risks of blow-outs as the hot tarmac shreds car and lorry tyres.
On Tuesday, 25 June, a forest fire was raging north of Cottbus in Brandenburg state.
The fire was especially dangerous because of the risk of unexploded ammunition left in the area, which is home to a NATO military training range.
Italy
Bears and other animals at Rome Zoo have been given special ice lollies designed to cool them down.
In the seaside town of Eloro in Sicily 41 cars were destroyed by flames after a fire broke out in tinder-dry bushes close to a beach car…
