Europe suffers under record heatwave as temperatures forecast to reach 44C

Rail services, schools and sports events hit, with deaths of three elderly people in France partly blamed on intense heat

Western Europe is enduring a ferocious heatwave forecast to break temperature records, with half of France on red alert, rail services in Belgium disrupted and sports events in Spain and Germany cancelled or postponed.

French authorities on Monday placed 49 of the country's 96 mainland departments on a level 1 danger-to-life warning, urging 35 million people to exercise absolute vigilance", drink water often, avoid all strenuous exertion and avoid direct sun.