Germany reels from 41°C heat as roads melt and trams stall

A record heatwave in Germany reached around 41.7°C, causing road surfaces to melt and tram routes to shut down, especially in Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Leipzig; tropical nights persisted as transport and energy systems strained, and hospitals—largely lacking in air-conditioned spaces—faced extra pressure, prompting the German Medical Association to call for mandatory heat protection in crisis planning as heat-related health risks rise across Europe.