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France has banned alcohol at the annual Fête de la Musique festival in Paris as a heatwave continues to grip Europe over the weekend.
Temperatures are expected to reach 35°C in Paris on Sunday, while parts of southern France and Spain are set to touch 40°C.
Météo-France says more than 30 French departments are under a red heat warning on Sunday, including Gironde and the Paris region.
Locals and tourists have nevertheless been making the most of the sun in the French capital, flocking to canals and parks over the weekend.
Emmanuel Grégoire, the mayor of Paris, announced swimming would be allowed in Canal Saint-Martin from Wednesday. He has also authorised Paris’s parks and gardens to remain open 24/7 to help people looking for somewhere to cool off.
In Spain, heat warnings are in place across 14 regions, with storms also expected in some areas.
AEMET, the Spanish national weather agency, has warned of “very high nighttime and daytime temperatures” that are unlikely to drop until next Thursday.
The agency said the extreme weather will present “significant danger” to vulnerable people as well as for anyone taking part in outdoor activities. There is also an increased risk of fires, it added. Parts of the Madrid area could see highs of around 40°C.
In Switzerland, temperatures are expected to top out at 37°C in Sion in the southwest of the country on Sunday, per MeteoSwiss, the Federal Office for Meteorology and Climatology. Zurich, Geneva and Bern are set to hit 34°C, while Basel could reach 35°C.
Multiple people were injured in lightning strikes in Germany over the weekend as storms accompanied high temperatures in the south of the country. Heat alerts remain in place across much of the nation.
In Italy, Rome and Turin are expected to hit up to 36°C on Sunday.
The UK’s Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for extreme heat across parts of England and Wales starting from Monday.
It said “adverse health effects” were likely as well as warning of the “increased risk of water safety incidents”.
Sunday is the summer solstice, meaning the sun is at its strongest and UV levels will be high across the continent.
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