Italy limited work outdoors, France shut schools and Turkey battled wildfires on Tuesday in a European heatwave that meteorologists said was "exceptional" for striking so early this year.

LONDON (Reuters) -Wildfires have killed two people in Spain and two others have died in France because of a heatwave that has gripped Europe and forced the closure of a nuclear reactor at a Swiss power plant.

Two people were found dead by firefighters tackling a blaze in Spain's Catalonia region on Tuesday, as Europe endures scorching temperatures during the ongoing heatwave. In a statement, Catalan authorities said the two bodies were found after firefighters extinguished a fire in the Torrefeta area,

Europe sizzled in its first major heat wave of the summer on Tuesday. Barcelona recorded its hottest June in over a century.

As Europe buckles under a punishing heat wave, residents and summer travelers are struggling to find relief. Here’s how and where to look for respite.