Europe’s icons close amid record-breaking heat

Europe is burning, literally.

Transcript

00:00The birthplace of democracy in Greece has been closed because it's too hot. The Acropolis of

00:05Athens was partially closed on July 8, 2025 as part of emergency measures to protect visitors

00:10and workers during the four-day heatwave. The site will be shut till 5 pm. This is the second

00:15time a heatwave has gripped Greece since late June and temperatures are expected to reach 42

00:19degrees Celsius. The 2,500-year-old Acropolis sits on a rock overlooking the capital Athens

00:25and offers little shade to visitors. Such instances are becoming more and more common

00:29across European countries due to one reason, the heat. The summit of the Eiffel Tower in Paris,

00:34France was closed after a brutal heatwave on 2nd July 2025. Brussels closed its Atomium monument

00:40as temperatures soared past 37 degrees Celsius. In Italy, admissions to hospital emergency rooms

00:45have risen by 15 to 20% recently with most patients being elderly individuals suffering from dehydration.

00:50The industrial hubs of Lombardi and Emilia Romagna have also stopped open-air work between 12.30 pm

00:56and 4 pm. Fires and storms are also expected due to the heatwave and authorities across Europe have

01:02issued warnings to citizens as per AFP. Just to give you an idea of the scale, Greece is battling nearly 50

01:07wildfires a day.