Berlin. France recorded around 1,000 additional deaths last week during a record-breaking heat wave, the country's public health agency said Sunday, as the head of the World Health Organization warned that Europe is warming faster than any other continent and must do more to protect its citizens.

Temperature records were broken across several European countries over the weekend, wildfires erupted in Germany and Berlin police used water cannons to cool crowds gathered in the capital.

Meanwhile, the heat wave gradually shifted eastward across the continent.

Germany set a national temperature record for the third consecutive day, reaching 41.7 degrees Celsius (107 degrees Fahrenheit) in Neißemünde near the Polish border. Poland also recorded a new all-time high of 40.5 C (104.9 F), while the Czech Republic experienced its hottest day on record at 41.9 C (107.4 F), surpassing Saturday's previous record of 40.9 C (105.6 F).

A study released Friday by the Europe-based World Weather Attribution group found that last week's extreme heat and humidity would have been impossible without climate change.

The rapid analysis concluded that such conditions would have been virtually impossible just five decades ago and are now 200 times more likely than they were 20 years ago.

France Reports Sharp Rise in Deaths
France experienced a sharp increase in deaths last week, including a significant rise in fatalities at private residences, particularly in the Paris region, the national public health agency said.

More than 1,200 people died on Wednesday, when temperatures peaked across much of the country. Daily deaths exceeded 1,400 on both Thursday and Friday, according to Public Health France.

By comparison, France recorded between 900 and 1,000 deaths per day in April and May before the heat wave struck.

The agency estimated that at least 1,000 excess deaths occurred during those three days alone, while cautioning that the toll is likely to rise as additional data, including deaths at home, becomes available.

The largest increases occurred in areas placed under the highest-level red heat alerts, which covered roughly three-quarters of the country at the peak of the heat wave. About 85% of the victims were aged 65 or older.

WHO Warns Europe Is Warming Fastest
"Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating at twice the global average," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote Sunday on X. "Right now 150 million people are living under extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are shut, grids are buckling."

Tedros said climate change and global warming have turned what were once considered "once-in-a-generation" heat waves into nearly annual events.

More than 1,300 excess deaths linked to high temperatures have been recorded across Europe since June 21, he said.

"Heat stress is often called the 'silent killer' — and European homes, workplaces and schools were not built for these temperatures," Tedros warned, urging governments to strengthen preparedness, prevention and public health responses.

Lightning and Storms Follow Heat
In Sweden, several people were injured after lightning struck the Tosselilla Sommarland amusement park in Tomelilla, the TT news agency reported.

Three adults were hospitalized, including a woman who suffered serious injuries.

Across Europe, the heat wave has been followed by severe thunderstorms.

Denmark, which recorded new temperature records Saturday, registered 1,156 lightning strikes by Sunday morning, according to public broadcaster DR.

Wildfires Complicated by Unexploded Ammunition
In eastern Germany, a wildfire broke out in the Gohrischheide forest, an area still contaminated with unexploded World War II ammunition, complicating firefighting efforts.

Another major fire was burning near the southwestern village of Traisen, where heat ignited a forest area containing unexploded ordnance. Firefighters temporarily halted operations after explosions occurred, while bomb disposal specialists assessed the site, German news agency dpa reported.

About 650 residents of Traisen were evacuated Sunday as the fire continued to spread.

Emergency services in major German cities also reported a surge in heat-related incidents. Berlin recorded an additional 500 ambulance dispatches Saturday, most linked to the extreme temperatures.

Berlin Police Use Water Cannons to Cool Crowds
Berlin police deployed two large water cannons — normally used to disperse protesters — near the Brandenburg Gate to spray cooling water over residents and tourists gathered in the city center.

The extreme heat also damaged infrastructure. Concrete surfaces cracked on highways, while national rail operator Deutsche Bahn advised passengers over the weekend to avoid nonessential travel.

More than 600 passengers were evacuated from an overheated train in Brandenburg after a fallen tree brought down an overhead power line during a storm Saturday evening. The train, traveling from Hamburg to Prague, lost power, causing air conditioning systems to fail.

Emergency responders forced open the train's doors, and two passengers were hospitalized with heat-related illnesses, dpa reported.

In Leipzig, tram services were suspended until early Monday because high temperatures damaged tracks and switching equipment. The city's transportation authority said sealants used in asphalt and concrete had melted and accumulated at numerous points across the network.