France, UK issue heat warnings as high temps hit Europe

A mass of hot air moving north from Africa is driving up temperatures in western Europe, with France on Tuesday becoming the latest to endure unusual heat.

France’s southwestern Gironde region sweltered in 42 degrees Celsius (107 Fahrenheit), a day after Cordoba in southern Spain recorded nearly 44 C (111 F).

Paris introduced special heat wave measures. They included opening air-conditioned rooms to the public and phoning people who might be especially vulnerable to the heat, primarily the elderly and those who can’t leave their homes for medical reasons.

Authorities warned that temperatures could surpass those of 2003, when thousands of people died — many of them retirees who had been left alone while younger relatives vacationed. The government at the time was criticized for failing to respond quickly or decisively enough and has since been extremely quick to react when temperatures start to rise.

Lila Djedide, 27, and her 60-year-old mother Mina, kept cool in Paris by eating ice cream. The heat is tough, Mina said, but it’s better than the usual Paris rain.

— AP