The Mediterranean Sea was up to 6 degrees Celsius warmer than usual for the time of year, hitting a record of as much as 30 C (86 F) in Spain's Balearic Sea as a heat dome trapped hot air above Europe, the country's Aemet weather forecaster said.

By Emma Pinedo PARIS/MADRID (Reuters) -Several Italian regions banned outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day, France shut scores of schools and Spain confirmed last month as its hottest June on record as a severe heatwave gripped Europe,

Europe is grappling with a severe heatwave, resulting in fatalities in Italy and prompting red alerts across multiple countries. Wildfires have triggered mass evacuations in Turkey and Greece, while France has closed schools and the Eiffel Tower due to safety concerns.