As a relentless heatwave continues to grip large parts of Europe, a video showing people seeking refuge inside an IKEA store in Paris has gone viral on social media, highlighting the desperate measures many are taking to escape the scorching temperatures.
The clip, shared on X, was posted with the caption, “People in Paris at IKEA to get some AC relief from the heat wave.” The text over the video read, “POV: The Paris heatwave turned IKEA into a lounge.”
The video shows dozens of people spread across different sections of the IKEA store, sitting and relaxing on display furniture while escaping the sweltering heat outside. Some are seen lying on beds, while others sit on sofas and armchairs scrolling through their phones, chatting with companions or simply resting in the air-conditioned space. A few people also appear to be cooling themselves with handheld fans as shoppers and visitors linger indoors to escape the oppressive heat outside.
Watch the video below:
(Also Read: Deaths, melting tram tracks, cooking food under Sun: Battles of Europe heatwave)
Europe heatwave
The video comes as Europe battles one of its most severe heatwaves on record.
According to AFP, France has been among the hardest-hit countries, enduring 6 days of unusually high temperatures in May followed by a record-breaking 11-day heatwave in June. The country’s public health agency has said that the extreme weather has caused around 1,000 excess deaths, with most of the victims being older adults. Health officials have also warned that the toll is expected to rise.
According to Reuters, scientists have described the heatwave, which began on June 20, as the worst ever recorded on the continent. The prolonged spell of extreme heat has strained healthcare systems, disrupted power generation, damaged infrastructure and affected agriculture.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X that around 150 million people are living under extreme heat conditions across Europe. He warned that climate change has made what were once considered “once-in-a-generation” heatwaves increasingly frequent, adding that homes, schools and workplaces across the continent remain ill-equipped to cope with such extreme temperatures.
“Right now 150 million people are living under extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are shut, grids are buckling,” the WHO chief said.
“Driven by climate change and global warming, the phenomenon of the ‘once-in-a-generation’ heatwave is now occurring nearly annually. We were warned,” he wrote, adding that Europe’s homes, workplaces and schools were ill-equipped for extreme heat.
