France has recorded more than 2,000 excess deaths during the final week of June as a record-breaking heatwave swept across Europe, while forecasters warned that another spell of extreme temperatures is set to hit parts of the continent in the coming days.
French health authorities said 2,025 excess deaths were recorded between June 22 and 28, marking a 29 percent increase from the previous week. The death toll was particularly high among people aged over 45, with the Paris region alone recording a 62 percent rise in deaths.
Health Minister Stéphanie Rist described the increase as "clear," while the French Health Ministry warned the preliminary figures were likely an underestimate and the final death toll could be higher.
France experienced its hottest nationwide day on June 24, with temperatures approaching 41 degrees Celsius in Paris and nearly half the country placed under the highest-level red heat alert.
The extreme weather also led to a sharp rise in drowning incidents. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 72 people had died by drowning since June 18.
The latest figures came as much of Europe, including the United Kingdom, prepared for another intense heatwave this weekend.
According to weather forecasts, a strong high-pressure system building from the Azores toward Portugal and Spain is expected to push temperatures higher across France and southern Britain over the next few days.
Europe remains the world's fastest-warming continent, heating at roughly twice the global average rate, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. Rising temperatures have contributed to more frequent and intense heatwaves, increased pressure on water resources and a growing risk of wildfires.
Neighbouring Belgium also reported severe impacts from the June heatwave, recording 1,222 excess deaths—about 39 percent above normal. Nearly half of the victims were aged 85 or older, with health officials describing the mortality rate as unprecedented.
In the Netherlands, authorities reported around 480 excess deaths during last week's extreme heat, most involving people aged 80 and above. Temperatures climbed to nearly 40 degrees Celsius, with the highest death rates recorded in the country's southern and eastern regions.
Although cooler conditions are expected in the Netherlands this week, southern Europe is forecast to remain under intense heat.
Temperatures in southern France are expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius, with 36 to 37 degrees Celsius forecast around Bordeaux, Toulouse and Agen.
France's national weather service, Météo-France, has issued red alerts for forest fires across parts of southern France, warning that the risk of new outbreaks is "very high" compared with normal summer conditions.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said nearly 7,000 wildfires have been recorded since the start of the summer season, burning around 8,700 hectares of land.
Nearly 3,000 residents were evacuated after a wildfire broke out in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer and spread to Canet-en-Roussillon on Thursday.
The Iberian Peninsula is also bracing for another heatwave. Portugal has declared a nationwide state of alert until Tuesday midnight, with temperatures expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius in several areas and overnight temperatures remaining above 25 degrees Celsius.
In neighbouring Spain, parts of the southwest have been placed under orange alert as temperatures are also forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
