A record-breaking heatwave affects much of France as a first major power disruption leaves about 68,000 households without electricity in the west, authorities said on Wednesday. Multiple outlets report the outage occurs in north-west France, including Brittany, and is linked to extreme temperatures that drive higher demand and strain equipment. Coverage points to a transformer on the electricity grid as the cause of the outage. Local authorities in the affected coastal department of Finistère say the incident is related to the heat and does not involve injuries.
France’s national weather service issues a red alert for extreme weather across most of the country, including the northern area around Calais. Temperatures expected on Wednesday range from roughly 39°C to 41°C, stretching from Brittany towards the Paris region. The outages are described as the first major disruption during this latest bout of extreme weather, with residents in the affected area experiencing power cuts while the heatwave continues to move north.
