Arabic version: فرنسا تسجل زيادة بنسبة 30% في الوفيات خلال موجة الحر القياسية

Deaths in France surged by nearly 30% during the hottest week of the record-breaking June heatwave, according to The Guardian. Public Health France reported a total of 2,025 excess deaths compared with the previous week, highlighting that this figure is likely an underestimate and that the mortality toll may continue to rise.

The updated statistics reflect the week from June 22 to June 28, when France experienced its hottest days on record. The total number of deaths for that week reached 8,973, a significant increase from the 6,948 deaths registered for the previous week of June 15-21. The rise in fatalities is primarily concentrated among individuals aged 45 and older, with those over 65 being the most affected.

In Paris, the situation was particularly severe, with deaths increasing by 62% week-on-week. The increase in home deaths nearly doubled, indicating the extreme impact of the heatwave on vulnerable populations. Nicolas Revel, the director general of the Paris public hospital system, noted expectations that the death toll from this heat event would likely be lower than the catastrophic heatwave of 2003 but “probably” higher than last year’s extreme heat episode, which claimed 5,700 lives.

The heatwave has not only affected mortality rates but has also caused significant environmental consequences across Europe. Countries like Italy have declared states of emergency due to drought conditions, while record temperatures have been reported in several nations, including Germany, Poland, and the UK. Climatologists attribute these unprecedented temperatures to climate change, emphasizing the urgent need for action to mitigate its effects.