France heatwave forces school closures and train cuts

A severe and prolonged heatwave is gripping Western Europe, with France at its epicenter as temperatures approach or exceed 40 degrees Celsius. The intense conditions, which began over the weekend, have prompted widespread health alerts, school closures, and travel disruptions across the continent.

In France, authorities have placed 49 of the country's 96 mainland departments under a red alert, the highest weather warning level. Officials announced the closure of 845 schools on Monday, June 22, with another 1,800 set to dismiss students early. The government also implemented an alcohol ban in public spaces in departments under red alert, affecting the annual Fête de la Musique festival on Sunday. Local officials in the southwest Gironde region reported that the deaths of three people, aged between 80 and 95, were in part due to the intense heat. Forecasters have warned the current event could be as serious as the 2003 heatwave that claimed thousands of lives.

The extreme heat is significantly straining infrastructure. France's national rail operator, SNCF, cancelled 71 intercity trains through Monday, citing risks to overhead power lines and tracks from high temperatures. The...