Thousands of homes in east London and parts of Essex remain without water or with very low pressure nearly a week after a series of pipes burst in South Woodford. Thames Water has repeatedly apologised and says it expects supplies to be restored by Friday.
The extreme heat has strained the health service. Accident and emergency departments in England recorded their busiest summer on record, with the intense temperatures cited as a major factor.
In July, 2.49 million people attended emergency departments. Preliminary figures indicate there were more than 2,800 heat-related deaths in May and June — almost double last year’s total.
An ambulance technician described working in the heat as “vile,” and other healthcare staff reported being “dripping with sweat from head to toe.” Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said the data highlights the “additional burden placed on the NHS during periods of extreme heat” and called for summer pressures to be planned for in the same way as winter.
Fire services have also been busy. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, matching last year’s record. In the New Forest, Hampshire, around 130 firefighters tackled a blaze that affected an area roughly the size of 230 football pitches.
Officials warn the UK is experiencing increasingly extreme conditions — heatwaves, drought and wildfires — fuelled by climate change, and that communities and services must adapt to those growing risks.
