France recorded 2,025 excess deaths during the peak week of its record breaking June heatwave, according to new figures released by the country’s public health authority, as officials warned the final death toll could rise further once regional data becomes available.
Public Health France said the country saw “an increase of 29.1 percent, corresponding to 2,025 additional deaths compared with the previous week” during the week beginning June 22. The agency added that the figure was probably “an underestimate” because authorities have not yet received complete data from all regions.
The heatwave lasted around 11 days and pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius across many parts of France. It became one of the earliest and most intense heat events ever recorded in the country. Health officials said the extreme temperatures placed enormous pressure on hospitals, emergency services and elderly care facilities.
The Paris region suffered the biggest increase in mortality. Public Health France reported a 62 percent rise in deaths there during the week starting June 22. Authorities also recorded a similar spike in the Pays de la Loire region.
Government faces criticism as heat deaths climb
The rising death toll has intensified political pressure on Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s government.
Several opposition politicians accused authorities of failing to protect vulnerable people during the extreme heat. On Thursday, the Greens filed a no confidence motion against the government, arguing that France needs stronger measures to deal with rising temperatures.
Health Minister Stephanie Rist urged caution while discussing the figures.
“It will probably not be comparable,” she said on Friday, referring to the catastrophic 2003 heatwave that killed around 15,000 people, many of them elderly residents in nursing homes.
Nicolas Revel, director general of the Paris public hospital system, also believes the final toll will remain below the 2003 disaster.
He said he expected the number of deaths from the June heatwave to be lower than in 2003 but “probably” higher than last year’s heat episode, which claimed 5,700 lives.
Climate experts warn Europe must prepare for more extreme heat
Health officials stressed that France has improved its emergency response since the deadly 2003 disaster. Authorities activated heat alerts, opened cooling centres and issued repeated public health warnings during the June heatwave. Hospitals also expanded emergency capacity to handle rising numbers of patients suffering from heatstroke, dehydration and other heat related illnesses.
Scientists say climate change continues to make European heatwaves more frequent, longer and more intense. France experienced several record breaking temperature days in June, including average national temperatures that exceeded previous records set in 2003 and 2019. More than 40 percent of mainland France recorded temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius during the event.
Meteorologists have also warned that another spell of extreme heat could affect parts of France and neighbouring countries in the coming days. Public health officials continue to monitor mortality figures and expect updated assessments once complete regional data becomes available.
