Seven die in France from causes related to heatwave

PARIS: Seven people have died in France in circumstances related directly or indirectly to the current heatwave, French Junior ​Energy Minister Maud Bregeon said on Tuesday.

Five of the seven fatalities were people drowning in lakes, ‌rivers ⁠or on beaches, Bregeon said. The ‌government has ⁠ordered local authorities ​to ⁠take measures to protect people ⁠during sports events, she said.

⁠France has been experiencing higher-than-average temperatures since Saturday.

Most ⁠of ​Brittany has ⁠been put under an orange-level warning by weather agency Meteo France, which expects temperatures to ​reach up ‌to 36 degrees Celsius ​on Tuesday afternoon.

Fatal heart attack

One victim was a 53-year-old runner who reportedly suffered a fatal heart attack during a race in Paris on Sunday.

Another was a woman who died from suspected heatstroke during a sporting event in Lyon, according to local media reports cited by international outlets.

Officials said the unusually early heatwave caught many coastal and recreational areas unprepared.

In several parts of France, beaches and swimming zones are not yet fully staffed with lifeguards because the traditional summer season does not begin until July.

Rip tides

Authorities reported multiple emergencies along France’s Atlantic coast, especially in the Gironde region, where strong currents and rip tides contributed to drowning incidents.

The crisis unfolded as Météo-France recorded the hottest May day ever observed in the country.

Temperatures exceeded 35 degrees Celsius in several regions, while forecasts warned some southwestern areas could approach 40C later this week.

Orange-level heat alerts

Multiple French departments were placed under orange-level heat alerts — an unusually high warning level for May.

The broader heatwave has affected much of Western Europe, including the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy.

Scientists say climate change is making such extreme heat events more frequent, more intense and increasingly likely to occur outside the traditional summer months.

The situation has also revived memories of the catastrophic 2003 European heatwave, when nearly 15,000 people died in France alone, many of them elderly residents living without air conditioning.

That disaster exposed major weaknesses in France’s emergency preparedness for prolonged extreme heat.