Spain Breaks June Heat Records, France Declares Emergency

MADRID/PARIS, July 1 (Bernama-dpa) – The mercury rose to 46 degrees Celsius in El Granado on Spain's border with Portugal on Saturday, setting a new June record for the country, the German news agency (dpa) reported.

Temperatures across the border in Portugal also soared, and Barcelona posted a local June record of 37.6 degrees despite its proximity to the sea.

Spain's AEMET weather office forecast that the heatwave would last until Wednesday, with cooler weather expected on Thursday.

In France, an emergency situation was declared for the entire country, with the Météo France weather service declaring the highest red level for 16 departments, including Paris.

Temperatures are expected to rise to 41 degrees in these departments.

Health Minister Yannick Neuder said hospitals were preparing to admit people suffering from the heat, making preparations similar to those for a flu epidemic. 

Prime Minister François Bayrou was expected to visit a crisis centre in Paris during the day.

Traffic was subject to restrictions in Greater Paris, with only low-emission vehicles with the appropriate discs allowed, and the speed limit was cut to 20 kilometres per hour. 

Some 1,350 schools were closed, either for the day or for the afternoon.

Fire services were on high alert after fires broke out on dried out agricultural land and in uncultivated natural areas.

A storm caused a mudslide in Modane in Savoie in the French Alps. A month's worth of rain fell within a few hours, according to broadcaster BFMTV.

Météo France is forecasting cooler weather from Wednesday onwards.

-- BERNAMA-dpa