According to Euronews, since June 24, the country has recorded approximately 1,000 more deaths than in previous months. The most severe impacts have been recorded in the Île-de-France region, as well as in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Brittany, Normandy, the Centre-Val de Loire region, and Pays de la Loire.
In some parts of France, temperatures this week exceeded 40 degrees, leading to a sharp increase in the strain on hospitals and emergency services. More than 30 departments were under a red weather alert for most of the week.
Amid the extreme heat, Paris authorities imposed a temporary ban on alcohol consumption in public places to reduce the burden on emergency services. The Pride Parade, scheduled for Saturday, was also postponed.
Residents of the capital flocked to city parks and along the canals to escape the heat. However, authorities warned against swimming in unsupervised areas after a man drowned in the Canal Saint-Martin on Friday evening. Another tragedy occurred in Lyon, where Kenzo Kis, a 21-year-old soccer player for the Ligue 2 club Guingamp, died in the Rhône River. According to preliminary reports, he was swimming in an unsupervised area.
Meanwhile, the extreme heat continues to put other European countries to the test. In the United Kingdom, Friday marked the hottest June day on record: temperatures reached 37.3 degrees in some regions, according to the Met Office. In Spain and Germany, temperatures also exceeded 40 degrees, and in some parts of Poland, temperatures are expected to reach 42 degrees Celsius on Sunday.
