Europe swelters under heatwave, France restricts alcohol consumption
By Giselda Vagnoni
PARIS/BERLIN/ROME, June 20 (Reuters) – A heatwave sweeping across much of Europe has led to a partial alcohol ban in France, nationwide warnings in Germany and the closure of a football fan zone in Spain as temperatures soared to record levels.
France expected 35 of its 96 departments or regions to declare a red heatwave alert on Sunday, with temperatures of 39 to 40 degrees Celsius (102-104 Fahrenheit) from the southwest through the Paris region to Burgundy, with some areas likely to reach 41C.
Following a crisis meeting, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Sunday banned alcohol consumption at annual Fete de la Musique festivals and other public events in these 35 regions as a preventive measure. But authorities in Paris ordered the parks to remain open around the clock.
A temperature alert was issued in most of Germany as temperatures approached 38C. The DWD weather service warned that the combination of heat and humidity could trigger severe storms.
COOLING UNDER THE ROMAN TEMPLE
Temperatures expected to reach 36-37C beyond the Alps were changing daily life and tourism in some Italian towns.
Visitors lined up in the blazing sun outside the Colosseum as Rome’s summer heat turned the trip into an endurance test. Some sought relief in the cooler underground spaces beneath the half-hidden ruins of the Temple of Claudius.
In the northern city of Bologna, one of the hottest cities on the peninsula, people splashed water on their faces and took shelter in the shade of the porticoes at the 16th-century Neptune Fountain.
However, in Spain, the football federation decided to close the fan area established with giant screens in Madrid’s Plaza de Colon square; This means fans will have to watch Spain’s World Cup match against Saudi Arabia elsewhere. Ironically, teams will enjoy the benefits of an air-conditioned stadium in Atlanta that is partially powered by solar panels.
Climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and intense across Europe, increasing the risk of health emergencies and economic disruption in the summer months, scientists say.
The economic damage caused by excessive heat also attracts attention.
Bank of France Governor Emmanuel Moulin said the short-term effects on growth were “somewhat uncertain”, citing both reduced productivity and increases in energy use, but warned that heatwaves were putting pressure on economic activity in the medium term.
(Reporting by Giselda Vagnoni in Rome, Dominique Vidalon in Paris, Rachel More in Berlin; Editing by Jan Harvey and Kevin Liffey)
