France’s public health agency reported roughly 1,000 deaths beyond normal levels during the recent European heatwave, cautioning that the count would probably climb higher.
Santé Publique released the preliminary tally on June 28, noting that the bulk of those who died were elderly. The agency anticipates the death toll will grow as additional records emerge from care facilities and private residences.
People aged 65 and over made up the majority of the fatalities, though the agency stressed that the searing conditions took a toll across every segment of the population.
The heatwave, which set in on June 20, has been described by scientists as the most severe ever documented on the continent—a region warming at a pace exceeding the worldwide average. Across Europe, the punishing temperatures have been tied to dozens of deaths while breaking records, straining electricity supplies and harming infrastructure.
As the hot air mass drifted eastward, France’s meteorological service reported the worst of the temperatures had subsided across much of the country, although a heatwave advisory remained active in parts of the northeast.
Health Minister Stéphanie Rist warned that the consequences of the extreme weather could persist well after temperatures dropped. “The episode is not finished,” she told broadcaster BFM, telling La Tribune the effects could continue for up to 10 days following the heat’s retreat.
