France places 81 departments under heatwave, storm alerts

French authorities placed 81 departments under weather alerts on Thursday, with most warnings linked to an ongoing heatwave that is expected to push temperatures close to 40C (104F) in some areas.

According to Meteo-France, the French national weather service, 69 departments were under heatwave alerts, including orange-level warnings covering parts of central and eastern France, the Paris region and Haute-Savoie.

An additional 21 departments were under thunderstorm alerts, mainly affecting parts of Normandy, Brittany, the Southern Alps and northern France.

Forecasters said temperatures could reach up to 39C in central France on Thursday, while several major cities were expected to experience temperatures well above seasonal averages.

The heatwave is expected to continue on Friday, with temperatures remaining elevated across much of the country and highs again approaching 40C in some regions.

Authorities have urged residents to take precautions against extreme heat, particularly vulnerable groups such as the elderly and young children.