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A heatwave in Europe has melted roads and traffic lights, strained hospitals and power grids, grounded trams in Leipzig, and prompted war-torn Ukraine to restrict energy use.
People use emergency blankets to protect themselves from the heat in Berlin. (Photo: AFP)
As Europe’s heatwave continues to sweep across many parts of the continent, citizens and their infrastructure are struggling to survive the scorching heat as videos emerge of melting roads and traffic lights.
According to Agence France-Presse, the heat wave sent mercury to record levels and strained hospitals, transportation networks and electricity grids on a continent where the infrastructure was not built to withstand extreme temperatures and where air conditioning is not widespread.
While Berlin police resorted to using water cannons to help residents cool themselves, the country’s transportation network bore the brunt of the extreme heat.
In France, asphalt melts due to heat. A “heat dome” has been hovering over Europe for a week, and forecasters say temperatures will exceed 40 degrees Celsius in the shade in the coming days. pic.twitter.com/LMhZKbBjUY– Decay and disrespect (@VictorKvert2008) June 24, 2026
According to the German News Agency (dpa), part of the A2 highway, which connects Berlin to West Germany, broke. “The A2 continues to disintegrate,” a police spokesman said on Saturday. “As a result, one intersection after another has to be closed.”
🇪🇺 – A record heatwave – which scientists have described as the worst on record in Europe – is straining infrastructure across the continent as it heads east into Germany and Poland. In the eastern German city of Leipzig, the transport authority suspended all tram services until… pic.twitter.com/fOuUczfLlR
– 🔥🗞 The Informant (@theinformant_x) June 28, 2026
German media also reported that some parts of the highway in the Zizar district, located in the eastern state of Brandenburg, had deteriorated so badly that vehicles could no longer safely drive across the surface.
📌 It’s so hot in Germany that the autobahn is literally bursting at the seams, with temperatures reaching a record 42°C, bending tram tracks and forcing the complete suspension of tram services in Leipzig. Parts of the city’s bus network were also affected by the severe storm… pic.twitter.com/dgGfe4CzuP
– Context 360 (@NewsContext360) June 28, 2026
In the German city of Leipzig, tram operations were halted due to the impact of extreme temperatures on asphalt and continental surfaces.
🇩🇪 Berlin has found a use for water cannons that does not involve protest. While the city was experiencing record temperatures, police brought out two of them in front of the Brandenburg Gate, the same ones normally used to disperse crowds, and ran them over the crowd as a giant cooling device…
– Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) June 29, 2026
In France, the heatwave has also affected vital infrastructure, with reports of melting roads, power outages and train delays, disrupting daily life, according to France 24.
Several videos have also appeared of melting traffic lights in Italy and Germany.
Temperatures rise in Europe
Meanwhile, the UN health agency reported that more than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded in Europe since June 21. France has recorded 74 deaths due to drowning since June 18, and 17 drownings in Poland on Sunday alone.
On Monday, the Balkan region prepared for temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius, while firefighters in Bosnia battled fires that broke out during the high temperatures.
Interestingly, Denmark, which has great network capacity, is also struggling. “Historically, Denmark has had significant grid capacity. This is no longer the case,” the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Public Utilities said.
“In many areas, capacity is approaching full utilization and demand for network connections is growing faster than planned expansion can keep up,” she added.
War-torn Ukraine is now battling a heatwave
On the other hand, the heat wave that first swept Western Europe last week has now entered Ukraine, which is already struggling for survival amid a war with Russia.
According to Agence France-Presse, grid operators in at least five regions – from Ivano-Frankivsk in the west to Zaporizhia on the front line in the south – announced that temporary restrictions on energy use would come into effect during parts of Tuesday.
“The heat is also a serious test for equipment that has been operating under wartime conditions for more than four years and has withstood numerous attacks,” Sergey Kovalenko, CEO of Yasno Energy, said over the weekend.
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