A record-breaking heatwave sweeping across Europe has caused alarming infrastructure failures in Germany, including melted tram rails in Berlin. Preliminary data from Germany’s national weather service recorded a staggering 41.7°C in Kösen, Brandenburg — the country’s highest temperature for the third consecutive day on Monday, 29 June 2026.
Infrastructure Under Extreme Stress
Prolonged exposure to extreme heat warped the metal tram tracks, posing serious safety risks and forcing local transport authorities to suspend or reduce services across multiple areas. In Leipzig, high temperatures caused the sealant around tram tracks to melt, seeping into rail joints and switches before hardening into large, obstructive clumps.
From Traffic Lights to Water Cannons
Similar melting effects were observed in Berlin and Verona, Italy, where traffic lights began to warp and deform under the scorching sun — creating an eerie, unsettling visual. To help residents cope, Berlin police deployed water cannons not for crowd control, but as cooling mist machines in public spaces — with temperatures reaching 39.9°C in the capital.
Scale of the Heatwave Across Europe
According to an analysis by Agence France-Presse (AFP), at least 95 million people across Europe — particularly in southern and eastern regions — are expected to experience temperatures above 35°C today. Overall, maximum temperatures above 30°C are forecast to affect roughly 260 million Europeans (excluding Turkey), or about two in five residents of the continent.
The AFP assessment draws on forecasts from Germany’s meteorological service, population projections from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (2025), and data from Austria’s non-governmental Klimadashboard initiative. As of 06:00 local time in Greece on 29 June, the model predicted that over 130 million people across Europe would face temperatures exceeding 35°C.