30 Dead So Far As EU Heatwave Intensifies - AFP

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PARIS (AFP) - Europeans were being urged to stay cool as a record-breaking heatwave that has melted roads, jangled nerves and killed 30 people across half the continent looked set to last another week.

In France, medical authorities said 21 people have now died from the heat -- up from nine two days ago. They include a child of 15 months, four labourers and two homeless people. The updated count brought to 30 the number of people who are believed to have died since the start of the week in western Europe, including two new victims reported in Spain.

The Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) said there was a rise of 168 in the number of deaths in the first week of July above the average -- which it said was linked to the heatwave. "This does not mean that these people were killed by the heat. But if someone has a particular cardiovascular or breathing problem, then heat can be a trigger," said CBS researcher Carl Harmsen.

French forecasters placed the eastern half of the country on "orange" alert -- the second highest level -- warning of more peaks at the weekend. Temperatures were expected to reach 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Rhone valley.

EDIT

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060721/sc_afp/europeweatherheatwave_060721155842