[Anchor]
A record-breaking heatwave with temperatures soaring above 40°C (104°F) has blanketed the European continent. Amid the suffocating heat, Paris has even opened up downtown canals where swimming is usually prohibited.
Report by Kim Young-a.
[Reporter]
This is the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, the capital of France.
Although swimming is normally banned here, the city of Paris has allowed water activities in parts of the canal.
This emergency measure was taken as the heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F), continues.
[Tania Casaleggio/Tourist: I'm trying to drink plenty of water, but even when I go to the shops, there is no water left. It is just so hot.]
On June 22, local time, a thermometer in downtown Paris recorded 44°C (111°F).
Heatwave warnings have been issued across 26 European countries, including southern regions like Greece, Spain, and Portugal, as well as Ireland.
Because air conditioning installation rates in buildings are low in European countries, schools are closing or canceling some classes.
[Aurora Vicario/Teacher: It is very difficult to teach. Public schools in Madrid do not have air conditioning, so the temperature inside the classrooms rises to 30°C (86°F).]
Even in the United Kingdom, which is relatively cool, temperatures are nearing 40°C (104°F), and the UK Met Office expects the record for the highest temperature in June to be broken this week.
This heatwave is caused by a "heat dome" phenomenon hitting Europe.
Hot air blowing from the Sahara Desert in Africa is trapped under a high-pressure system shaped like a hat, blanketing the European continent.
[Claire Barnes/Researcher at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment, Imperial College London: Extreme weather events like storms or heatwaves have always existed. But now, amidst climate change, these extreme weather events are becoming increasingly severe.]
European countries are struggling to come up with countermeasures.
The French government has issued a ban on drinking alcohol in public places, warning of the dangers of alcohol consumption during a heatwave, and Spain has closed outdoor World Cup cheering zones.
Video Editing: Lee Seung-yeol
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