France endured a rise of nearly 30 percent in the number of deaths recorded during the week of June 22nd, the peak of a record-breaking heatwave that battered the country, the public health authority said on Friday.
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 June 22nd, the report said. A similar spike has been reported in the Pays de la Loire region.
Full excess figures for the country will be released later in the month.
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 Sébastien Lecornu.
