France endured a rise of nearly 30 percent in the number of deaths recorded during the week of June 22, the peak of a record-breaking heatwave that battered the country, the public health authority said Friday.
Issued on: 03/07/2026 - 09:06
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Public Health France said in a new report there had been "an increase of 29.1 percent, corresponding to 2,025 additional deaths compared with the previous week" while noting that the figure was probably "an underestimate" The number of deaths increased by 62 percent in the Paris region during the week starting 22 June, the report said. A similar spike has been reported in the Pays de la Loire region. Some French politicians have denounced what they call the authorities' inadequate measures to help France face rising temperatures. The Greens on Thursday filed a no-confidence motion against the government of Sebastien Lecornu. Wildfires spread across southern France, as heatwave reignites forest concerns In June, France experienced a record-breaking heatwave which lasted around 11 days and saw temperatures climb above 40C in many places. Around 15,000 people died in France during a severe heatwave in 2003, with many elderly people dying in nursing homes. The June heatwave is considered more intense, but authorities say its consequences have been less severe.
