The bodies of two young children were discovered in their mother's car during a severe heatwave in southern France, where temperatures reached 38°C. The children, aged 2 and 4, were found unresponsive in the family car parked in the garage of their home in Carpentras, Provence, early this afternoon.
Details of the Incident
It remains unclear how the children entered the vehicle or how long they were inside. Their mother, 33, was reportedly unaware they were in the car until she made the discovery and immediately called for help. Police and firefighters arrived at the scene around 1:10 pm local time, according to La Provence, but the children could not be revived.
Record-Breaking Heatwave Across Europe
Europe is enduring a record-breaking heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in parts of France. Emergency services and military forces have been placed on wildfire alert throughout the country. French authorities have imposed restrictions on public alcohol consumption and cancelled some outdoor sporting events. Elsewhere, temperatures are forecast to reach 37°C in Rome and 39°C in Madrid on Monday.
UK Issues Rare Red Weather Warning
The UK has issued a rare red weather warning due to excessive heat. Last summer was the hottest on record for the UK, with a mean temperature of 16.1°C between June and August, according to the Met Office. The previous record was held by summer 2018, followed by 2006, 2003, 2022, and 1976. The Met Office warned that this week's heatwave could see temperatures exceed 37°C in the shade, and possibly rise to 38°C to 40°C in parts of England and Wales. High humidity and very warm nights will make it difficult for people to recover overnight.
Health Warning and Impacts
The UK Health Security Agency issued a red health warning for six regions of England: the West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and the East of England. This alert indicates a risk to life for even the healthy population, with potential impacts on transport, food, water, energy supplies, and businesses. It is the second red heat health warning issued, after the first in July 2022 when temperatures soared above 40°C in the UK for the first time.
Mel Evans, Greenpeace UK's head of climate, said: 'Today's forecast is staggering. Heatwaves are expected to get longer, hotter and more dangerous to human life, to crops and to wildlife. Ordinary people are increasingly paying the price for extreme heat they didn't cause, while fossil fuel giants continue to rake in billions.'
