Traffic jam near Reventin-Vaugris, in south-eastern France.
Clermont-Ferrand:
France saw a record level of traffic jams on Saturday, with cars stranded in traffic jams on grilled roads stretching 820 kilometers through a country suffering from a brutal heat wave.
French traffic authorities said the peak was reached just after noon, easily breaking last Saturday’s record of 760 kilometers (470 miles) and the previous record of 762 kilometers set on August 3 of last year.
The country has been going through a heat wave since Thursday, with temperatures pushing to around 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in several regions.
In the southwest, Brive-la-Gaillarde on Friday broke its record with 40.8 ° C, as did Cognac with 39.8 ° C, while Nantes in the west posted a new record of 39.6 ° C .
No relief is expected until Wednesday, with soaring temperatures compounding the pressure as the coronavirus epidemic in the country worsens, with the number of daily infections reaching 2,288 on Friday.
Authorities have reminded suffocating citizens that masks must continue to be worn where they have been mandated, despite the heat.
Roland and Hélène, retired from the Parisian suburbs, said they go out in the morning “to get some fresh air”, but spend the rest of the day hiding in their apartment.
“We are very worried about the heat,” said Hélène.
Last year was the hottest on record in France and the meteorological agency Météo France warned that global warming could double the number of heatwaves by 2050.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
