Record Heat Hits Europe and Disrupts Roads in Germany.
Record temperatures were reported from Switzerland to the Czech Republic and Denmark as the heatwave moved toward central and eastern Europe.
Unusually high temperatures were recorded even in Nordic countries not known for sweltering summers. The Danish Meteorological Institute reported a new record of 37°C, or 98.6°F, in Ødum, north of Aarhus – the warmest day since records began in 1874.
In Switzerland, a record of 38.8°C, or 101.8°F, was set in the city of Basel, according to officials. The Czech Republic also saw its hottest day on record, with 40.6°C, or 105°F, in the northern town of Doksany. Germany hit a record 106°F on Saturday, provisional data from the national weather service showed, marking a new all-time high, AFP reported.
Germany’s famous Autobahn was also overwhelmed, as temperatures were expected to reach 40°C, or 104°F. In two places outside Berlin, the concrete of the A2 burst because of the high temperatures and the highway had to be closed. Other highway damage was also reported across the country, according to the German daily Bild. Train operator Deutsche Bahn and other rail companies advised against all nonessential train travel this weekend.
"Germany’s transportation infrastructure is being severely affected by the record-breaking heat this weekend," Deutsche Bahn said in a statement. In the western German city of Dormagen, dozens of residents of a nursing home were evacuated for medical care because of dangerous heat conditions inside the building.