Dangerous heat wave continues to sweep through Europe

Europe is seeing dangerous temperatures amid a historic heat wave sweeping the region.

Some areas have already reported the hottest June average temperatures, while experts say the heat wave could lead to an excess death of 45-hundred in a four-day span.

Lee Seung-jae has more.

It's only early July,.. but Europe is suffering from a record-breaking heat wave.

A strong high-pressure system is trapping hot air from northern Africa, while higher temperatures on the Mediterranean Sea are reinforcing temperatures over land areas.

Countries seeing the worst of the heat wave, include France, Italy, and Spain, with temperatures surpassing 40 degrees Celsius.

Central France reported temperatures as high as 41 degrees, while Spain's southwest region saw mercury readings reach 46 degrees on Saturday.

The Portuguese city of Mora rose to 46.6 degrees on Sunday, marking the highest June temperature on record.

Amid the heat wave in Europe, the World Health Organization issued a stern warning on Monday, calling for urgent action to prevent "tens of thousands of unnecessary and preventable deaths."

According to Marisol Iglesias Gonzalez,.. the technical advisor on climate change and health at the WHO, it's no longer a question of whether there will be a heat wave, but rather,.. how many there will be this year, and how long they'll last.

Statistician Pierre Masselot, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, also warned that between June 30th and July 3rd, the heat wave could cause more than 45-hundred excess deaths.

He warned that countries likely to record the highest rates of excess deaths are Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Luxembourg, adding that the worst days will likely be Tuesday and Wednesday.

And according to the World Meteorological Organization, intense heat waves may become the norm for Europe.

"The frequency and intensity of extreme heat events is increasing in Europe and by 2050 about half the European population may be exposed to high or very high risk of heat stress during summer."

The heat wave is also raising concerns that the Eiffel Tower may experience deformation of around 20 centimeters.

According to French daily Le Parisien on Monday, the steel structure bends slightly from various angles throughout the day due to the movement of the sun.

It added that while the intense heat wave may lead to a wider angle of deformation, the tower returns to shape when temperatures cool during nighttime.

Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.