Heat wave claims 40 drowning victims in France as Europe battles record-breaking temperatures
A blistering heat wave across Europe has left at least 40 people dead from drowning in France over the past week, as sweltering conditions drove millions to seek refuge in the water, according to French authorities. The deaths, which the government said primarily involved young people, occurred mostly in unsupervised swimming spots, prompting officials to urge caution amid the extreme weather.
Speaking to French radio, Sports and Youth Minister Marina Ferrari warned against swimming in unmonitored areas during the heat wave, calling the situation alarming. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed the tally of 40 drownings since last Thursday, a figure that underscores the deadly interplay between a record-setting heat event and recreational water activities.
Temperatures have soared above 104°F (40°C) in many French towns, and the national thermal indicator—a weighted average of readings from 30 weather stations—hit 85.6°F (29.8°C) on Tuesday, shattering previous marks for June. Meteo France, the national weather service, described the heat wave as reaching a “plateau of severity,” with relentless day-and-night heat that is expected to expand across more than half the country, including its northern tip, by midweek.
The heat has disrupted daily life in a nation with limited air conditioning. Schools have adjusted schedules, public transport has faced delays, and cultural landmarks have shortened hours: the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum began closing in the afternoon rather than late at night. The Louvre said it would shut two hours early from Wednesday through Saturday.
Meteo France said that further records could fall, possibly surpassing all previous highs for any time of year. The country already endured its hottest June day on record Monday, followed by the warmest night ever observed. The heat wave’s early arrival—exceptionally intense for the first week of summer—has drawn comparisons to August 2003, when an estimated 15,000 people, many of them elderly, died in homes without air conditioning.
Human-caused climate change is a key driver, scientists say. Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, heating at twice the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The World Health Organization’s Europe office noted this month that more than 200,000 people across the continent have died from heat-related causes over the past four years, most of them preventable.
Across the English Channel, Britain also grappled with its own heat emergency. The U.K. Met Office issued a red extreme heat warning for Wednesday and Thursday, forecasting temperatures up to 102°F (39°C) in parts of southern England, which could break June records. Rail operators, including the Gatwick Express, canceled services to ensure safe operations, and National Rail urged passengers to travel only if absolutely necessary. Many British schools announced closures for the day.
In Spain, the Aemet weather service raised red alerts for temperatures reaching 111°F (44°C) in southern Andalusia, and warned of unusually extreme heat along the normally temperate northern Atlantic coast. Meteorologist Rubén del Campo noted that half of the dozen June heat waves recorded since 1975 have occurred after 2015, linking the trend to climate change. “Spain is only going to get hotter,” he said, as heat waves become more frequent and longer, expanding beyond the traditional summer window.
Copernicus data showed that 2024 was the hottest year on record globally and for Europe, which also suffered its second-highest number of “heat stress” days. Scientists warn that rising temperatures heighten the risk of heat exhaustion, life-threatening heat stroke, and wildfires, particularly in southeastern Europe.
Meteo France said the current heat wave is expected to persist at least through the weekend, with daytime highs above 40°C in many locations. The agency cautioned that the situation remains dynamic, and further records are likely as the heat intensifies across the continent.