France has recorded 2,025 excess deaths during the final week of June as an intense heatwave swept across Europe, with health officials warning that the true toll may be even higher as another round of extreme temperatures approaches.
According to French health authorities, deaths increased by 29 per cent between June 22 and June 28 compared with the previous week. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said the rise was particularly pronounced among people aged 45 and older, while the Paris region alone experienced a 62 per cent increase in mortality.
France experienced its hottest average day on record on June 24, with temperatures nearing 41°C in Paris and roughly half the country placed under the highest-level red heat alert.
The latest figures come as meteorologists warn that another period of extreme heat is expected to affect large parts of western Europe this weekend. Forecasts indicate temperatures could again reach 40°C in southern France, with highs between 36°C and 37°C expected around Bordeaux, Toulouse and Agen.
The prolonged heat has also fueled a severe wildfire season. French authorities have issued red fire alerts across parts of southern France, warning that conditions remain highly favourable for new outbreaks. Since the beginning of summer, nearly 7,000 wildfires have been reported, burning approximately 8,700 hectares of land. Nearly 3,000 residents were evacuated after a wildfire spread between Sainte-Marie-la-Mer and Canet-en-Roussillon.
The heatwave has also contributed to a sharp increase in accidental deaths. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 72 people have died by drowning since June 18 as soaring temperatures drove more people to beaches, rivers and lakes.
Other European countries have also reported elevated mortality linked to the extreme weather. Belgium recorded 1,222 excess deaths during the heatwave—39 per cent above normal levels—with almost half involving people aged 85 and older. Dutch authorities also reported approximately 480 excess deaths last week, most among people aged 80 and above, after temperatures climbed to nearly 40°C in parts of the country.
Elsewhere on the continent, Portugal has declared a nationwide state of alert through early next week, with temperatures expected to exceed 40°C in several regions and overnight lows remaining above 25°C. Spain has also issued high-level weather warnings as temperatures approach 40°C across parts of the southwest.
Scientists continue to warn that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events across Europe, which is warming at roughly twice the global average. Rising temperatures have contributed to more severe heatwaves, greater pressure on water supplies and increasingly destructive wildfire seasons across the continent.
