France records over 5,700 deaths in historic June heat wave, highest number since 2003 | Today’s news
France recorded nearly 5,800 excess deaths during the June heat wave, the country’s deadliest heat-related episode since 2003, according to the French public health agency.
Public Health France said Wednesday that 5,764 excess deaths were recorded between June 17 and July 2, 36 percent more than the number of deaths normally expected during that period, the AP reported.
The agency said the affected regions saw 21,674 deaths from all causes, compared with the expected 15,910 deaths based on statistical modeling using data from previous years.
The excess death toll is the highest recorded during any French heat wave since a devastating heat wave in 2003 that claimed an estimated 15,000 lives.
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The heat wave breaks temperature records
France experienced its hottest days on record on 24 and 25 June, when the national average temperature reached 30°C, accompanied by record night-time temperatures. Daytime temperatures soared above 40°C in many parts of the country.
More than half of the deaths occurred in just three days, from June 25 to June 27, during the height of the heat wave, according to the health agency.
The agency described the event as an “unprecedented episode” due to its early arrival, intensity and duration, which exposed nearly the entire population while schools and workplaces remained open.
Read also | Heat wave in Europe: 1300 dead, Ukrainian grid under voltage, forest fires in the Balkans
The worst affected area of Paris
The Île-de-France region, which includes Paris, had the highest number of overdose deaths.
France’s public health estimated 1,999 unexpected deaths in the Paris region, about 80 percent more than would normally be expected without a heat wave.
Funeral directors in Paris were scrambling to find space to store bodies before burial or cremation, with several morgues reaching capacity, according to AFP.
Almost half of those who died during this period died in hospitals, where there was an increase in patients suffering from heat illness. About one-third died at home, while most of the remaining deaths occurred in nursing homes.
The health authority said the latest figures are provisional and will be updated later this year when more complete mortality data is available.
Most of the deaths are caused by the elderly
According to The Guardian, people aged 75 and over accounted for roughly two-thirds of the excess deaths recorded during the heatwave.
Many deaths associated with extreme heat are not officially classified as heat-related because underlying conditions such as a heart attack are often cited as the immediate cause of death.
Europe struggles with heat and forest fires
The updated death toll in France comes as large parts of southern Europe continue to grapple with extreme temperatures and devastating forest fires.
In Spain, firefighters are battling one of the country’s largest fires on record in the Guadalajara region, which has burned about 32,000 hectares, forcing more than 1,200 people to evacuate 34 villages.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the country had already seen 22 major forest fires this year, four times more than in the same period last year, and warned against downplaying the climate emergency.
In France, two firefighters died in a fire in the southwestern Gironde region, while another blaze burned 2,500 hectares in the Var department, forcing hundreds of residents to flee.
Greek authorities have imposed restrictions on outdoor work during the peak heat of the day, while Italy has placed the entire island of Sicily on high alert for wildfires as temperatures exceed 40C and numerous fires are still burning.
