The heatwave has already been linked to a number of deaths across the continent.

In France, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said 40 people had drowned in unsupervised waterways since 18 June as many sought relief from the heat by swimming in rivers and canals. Two young children, aged two and four, were also found unconscious in a family car outside their home in Carpentras. Emergency responders were unable to revive them.

In the United Kingdom, separate reporting on earlier heatwaves this year has linked at least 15 deaths to water-related incidents.

Health authorities have repeatedly warned that many heat-related deaths are preventable. Earlier this month, the World Health Organization's Europe office said more than 200,000 people across the continent had died from heat-related causes over the past four years.

Transport networks have come under pressure as temperatures rise. In France, some train services, including routes between Paris and Brussels, have been cancelled.

In the UK, Network Rail has advised passengers to travel only if necessary during the hottest days of the week. Speed restrictions may be imposed to protect rail infrastructure from heat-related damage.

Separately, severe overnight thunderstorms disrupted transport services in London, including operations at Heathrow Airport.

The demand for air conditioning and cooling is placing additional strain on Europe's electricity grids. During a comparable heatwave last year, daily power demand rose by as much as 14%, while electricity prices increased to between two and three times their normal levels.

Energy analysts have warned that the current heatwave could again place pressure on power supplies and increase costs.

Researchers have identified Italy and Poland among the countries most vulnerable to the economic impact of power outages.

Meteorologists say the extreme temperatures are being driven by a weather pattern known as an Omega Block. Named after its resemblance to the Greek letter Omega, the pattern features a large bulge of hot air trapped between cooler systems on either side. This creates what forecasters describe as a "heat dome" effect, preventing hot air from dispersing and allowing temperatures to rise steadily over several days.

Unlike faster-moving weather systems, Omega Blocks can remain in place for extended periods, making heatwaves longer and more intense. Experts have compared the current conditions to the deadly European heatwave of 2003, which was linked to an estimated 15,000 deaths in France alone.