Europe faces worsening heatwaves as Austria sets record and Italy issues alerts

Nexus Europa Newsroom
Posted Oct 2, 2026, 10:30 PM UTC · In the digest of 2026-10-02-2230
Europe faces worsening heatwaves as Austria sets record and Italy issues alerts
Photo: DR

Severe heatwaves continue across Europe as Austria breaks temperature records, Italy issues red alerts for 27 cities, and French authorities report over 7,300 heat-related excess deaths.

Extreme weather continues across Europe as multiple nations face relentless heatwaves, record temperatures, and rising health risks. Italian authorities issued red weather alerts for all 27 major cities amid the country's fourth heatwave of the season, with forecasts predicting temperatures near 40 degrees Celsius for the coming week.

In Austria, meteorologists recorded a new national temperature record of 40.8 degrees Celsius near Vienna. Meanwhile, French health officials attributed over 7,300 excess deaths to prolonged extreme heat registered between May and July, during which the nation experienced 52 heatwave days. Western European countries, including the United Kingdom and France, are bracing for further temperature spikes alongside ongoing drought and wildfire hazards.

Sources: Aftenposten, Berlingske, DR, TV 2 Nyheter, VG (Verdens Gang)

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