Four people died in Spain, two in France and two in Italy as an early summer heat wave continues to grip much of Europe this week.

France's ecological transition minister, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, said the two deaths in her country were a result of "heat-related illness". It comes as France registered its second-hottest June since records began in 1900. June 2025 only trails behind June 2023, when the country also experienced intense heat.

To cool down, nuclear power plants pump water from local rivers or the sea, which they then release back into water bodies at a higher temperature. However, this process can threaten local biodiversity if water is released which is too hot.