A relentless heatwave is rewriting temperature records across Central Europe, but the numbers only tell part of the story. Behind the headlines of scorching days and sleepless nights lies a deeper crisis: energy systems straining, rivers shrinking, and infrastructure not built for this new climate reality. Main Developments Slovakia recorded its highest temperature ever on Thursday, with the southern village of Dolne Plachtince hitting 42.2 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute. That same day, Italy escalated its response, placing all 27 major cities on the highest heat alert for the first time this year and urging people to avoid direct sunlight between 11am and 6pm. Austria's national weather agency confirmed its own all-time high on Wednesday: 41.2C (106.2F) in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, near the Slovak border. Hungary's capital, Budapest, set a new overnight record as temperatures barely dipped below 28C (82.4F), a sign that the heat is not just intense but persistent. Read also: 3 key questions after Ivan Toney's assault charge The human toll is mounting. At least four people are believed to have died in recent days due to the heat, including a 19-year-old tomato picker in Italy. Meanwhile, Germany's worsening drought has forced companies to shift cargo from ships to roads, driving up prices as fewer goods move. Background This heatwave is not an isolated event but part of a pattern that scientists have been warning about for years. Europe is warming faster than any other continent, at twice the global average rate. The current crisis follows a summer already marked by thousands of excess deaths across the continent, with experts noting that much of Europe's infrastructure was simply not designed to cope with such extremes. The Danube, Europe's second-longest river, is at record lows, exposing sandbanks and disrupting everything from shipping to power generation. Slovakia's only nuclear power plant is running at 80 percent capacity, while Hungary's—which typically supplies about half of the country's electricity—has been cut to just 10 percent, a direct consequence of dwindling river water needed for cooling. Why It Matters The current crisis exposes a fundamental mismatch between Europe's infrastructure and its changing climate. When nuclear plants throttle back and rivers become too shallow for cargo ships, the ripple effects hit ordinary people: higher energy prices, supply chain disruptions, and rising costs for goods. The repeated heatwaves this summer are a preview of what scientists say will become increasingly normal—and Europe is not ready. Beyond the immediate discomfort, the deaths and infrastructure failures underscore a public health emergency. The overnight warmth in Budapest is particularly dangerous, as it denies people the relief of cooler evening temperatures, compounding the risks for vulnerable populations. What's Next With the heat alert across Italy's major cities in effect, authorities are bracing for more scorching days ahead. The focus will remain on protecting public health and managing energy and transport systems that are already under severe strain. Longer term, the question is whether European governments will accelerate investments in heat-resilient infrastructure—from alternative cooling systems for power plants to drought-resistant supply chains. For now, the immediate priorities are clear: keeping people safe, keeping the lights on, and keeping goods moving as the continent endures another record-breaking summer.