France hit by deadly heat wave as nearly 1,000 die in just one week — Politico
Record heat in France linked to roughly 1,000 deaths (photo: Getty Images)
France has recorded roughly 1,000 more deaths than usual since June 24 amid a record-breaking heat wave, according to Politico.
The French public health agency released preliminary statistics on Sunday. It says the highest number of excess deaths was recorded in regions that had been under a red heat alert in recent days—the highest level of danger due to extreme temperatures.
"Since June 24, approximately 1,000 additional deaths (unconsolidated figures) have been recorded compared to the deaths recorded in previous months," the agency said in a statement.
The agency emphasized that mortality has increased across all age groups, although 85% of the recorded deaths involved people aged 65 and older.
Officials stressed that the figures are preliminary and likely underestimate the total death toll.
On Sunday, June 28, most of France emerged from more than a week of extreme heat, which included several record daytime and nighttime temperatures. The high temperatures are now moving east across Europe.
According to scientists, the current heat wave has become the most intense ever recorded in Western Europe.
Researchers say such an event would not have been possible without human-driven climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels. At the same time, Spanish researchers have linked more than 210 deaths in the country to the heat, with that figure expected to rise.
In France, several public events were canceled or postponed over the weekend, including Pride celebrations and the Solidays music festival. The measures were taken to avoid overwhelming hospitals, which are already operating at or near capacity, especially in the Paris region.
The heat wave led to partial school closures and disrupted public transportation. The issue has also become part of the political debate less than a year before the presidential election. Discussions in France are increasingly focused on the country's lack of preparedness for extreme heat waves, which climate experts predict will become more intense, more frequent, and longer-lasting.
As previously reported, several Western European countries broke century-old temperature records in late May.
This week, Europe was once again hit by record heat, with consequences already being felt across several countries.
Amid this, electricity prices across Europe surged as consumers heavily increased air conditioner use, while some of France's nuclear power plants were forced to reduce output due to overheating river water.
