France reels under exceptional heatwave: 20 drownings, two children found dead in car, and transport disrupted

Human toll mounts

Two children, aged two and four, were found dead in a car in Carpentras, southeastern France, on Monday afternoon. Local prosecutor Hélène Mourges told AFP that the causes of death had not yet been established, but the heatwave was the main hypothesis. The children's mother was taken in by emergency services and had not yet been questioned.

Three elderly people, two men and a woman aged between 80 and 95, died in their homes in the Gironde department near Bordeaux over the weekend. Local official Sophie Brocas said their deaths were caused by health problems aggravated by the extreme temperatures.

“The causes of death have not yet been established, but the heatwave is the main hypothesis.”

Drownings surge as people seek relief

Approximately 20 people have drowned since the start of the weekend, according to Sports Minister Marina Ferrari. A Civil Protection spokesperson had already reported at least 13 drowning deaths on Monday, indicating a rapid worsening of the situation. Authorities warned that the number of incidents rises in direct proportion to the heatwave and the crowding of natural swimming areas.

“It is not without consequences, during a heatwave, to go swimming in unsupervised areas.”

Record-breaking temperatures and alerts

Météo-France placed 49 of the 96 departments in mainland France under the highest heatwave alert level on Monday, a record. Another six departments were set to enter maximum alert on Tuesday, while 35 departments remained under orange alert. The national weather service described the episode as exceptional, extended, durable, and intense, with a severity level approaching that of August 2003, when 15,000 people died.

Several cities in western and central France, including the Atlantic port of Saint-Nazaire, recorded their hottest night in history on Sunday night, with a minimum temperature of 23.2°C. Paris recorded its hottest June night at 24.2°C, half a degree warmer than the previous record from 2017. Forecasts called for temperatures to exceed 40°C in many regions, with Bordeaux expecting 43°C, Limoges 41°C, and Paris 39°C.

“This situation will continue until the end of the week. Unprecedented temperatures are expected on Wednesday and Thursday in more than three-quarters of the country.”

Schools closed and transport disrupted

More than 1,300 schools were closed nationwide on Monday, and approximately 4,000 others modified their schedules to let pupils leave earlier. In the Paris region, one in ten regional train services was cancelled due to fears about the effects of heat on trains and railway infrastructure.

Île-de-France Mobilités and operators RATP and SNCF warned of delays and cancellations on Tuesday. Nine out of ten trains were running on RER lines C, D, and E and on several Transilien lines, but further cancellations were possible during the day. Metro lines 5, 6, 8, and 13 and tram lines T1, T2, T5, and T6 could also be affected by slowdowns in the afternoon. The transport reductions were decided for safety reasons, to protect infrastructure including metal rails and overhead lines sensitive to intense heat, as well as user safety in carriages where air conditioning may not function.

Wider European heatwave

Spain's state weather agency Aemet issued a red alert for the Basque Country, with maximum temperatures of 40°C forecast for San Sebastian, more than double the historical average for the date. Italy issued red heat alerts for 12 cities including Milan, Turin, Venice, Bologna, Florence, and Rome. The UK Met Office warned that a four-day heatwave affecting southern and central England and parts of Wales could push temperatures above 39°C, shattering a record of 35.6°C dating from 1957 and 1976.

“We are observing temperatures between 5 and 10 degrees above normal for this time of year, and in some northern areas more than 10 degrees above average.”