France is experiencing a severe heat wave, with temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F) and record-breaking highs across the country. The national weather service, Meteo France, has issued red alerts for more than half of France's regions, warning that the extreme heat will persist until at least Friday. This heat wave is being compared to the deadly August 2003 event, which caused an estimated 15,000 deaths, many among the elderly in buildings without air conditioning.
Record Temperatures and Health Impacts
Paris recorded its hottest June night with a minimum temperature of 24.2°C (75.5°F) and a new June daytime record of 37.7°C (99.9°F) on Monday. Several towns across France experienced their hottest day ever. The heat wave is also worsening air quality in Paris due to ozone formation, trapping pollution. The air quality monitoring agency in the Paris region stated that pollutants are likely to exceed recommended thresholds.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced that 1,352 schools were closed on Monday because of the heat, while thousands adjusted schedules, releasing students early or moving classes to air-conditioned rooms. In a country with limited air conditioning, many are struggling to cope. Authorities have urged people to stay hydrated and avoid alcohol, which can be deadly in extreme heat.
Deaths and Drownings
Tragically, two children, aged 2 and 4, died on Monday after locking themselves in their family's car in the southern town of Carpentras, according to a statement from the public prosecutor. An investigation for involuntary manslaughter has been opened. Government messages have reiterated warnings not to leave children unattended in vehicles.
Multiple drownings have also been reported as people sought relief in rivers, despite warnings about dangerous currents. The public prosecutor's office noted that alcohol consumption in public is being cracked down on to prevent further tragedies.
Wider European Context
The heat wave is affecting other parts of Europe as well. The United Kingdom's Met Office issued a rare red weather warning for Wednesday and Thursday, with temperatures possibly exceeding 37°C (99°F) in the shade and reaching 40°C in parts of England and Wales. The Met Office warned that extreme heat could cause failures in heat-sensitive equipment, including power and mobile phone services.
According to the World Health Organization's Europe office, over 200,000 people across Europe have died from heat-related causes in the last four years, most of which were preventable. The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service reports that Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising at twice the global average since the 1980s. Human-caused climate change is intensifying extreme weather, and UN projections indicate that the next five years will likely shatter more heat records.
