France has recorded 40 deaths by drowning since June 18, as the country has been grappling with an intensifying heat wave, Premier Sebastien Lecornu announced during a ministerial crisis meeting Tuesday, according to the broadcaster BFMTV.
Lecornu also announced on US social media company X that the government had activated Level 2 of the ORSAN emergency health plan in response to mounting pressure on emergency services and medical dispatch centers caused by the heat wave.
The measure is aimed at reinforcing medical coordination capacities, mobilizing additional healthcare personnel, ensuring coordination between hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and primary care providers, and adapting healthcare activities if necessary, he said.
Lecornu said the government's priorities were to support the healthcare system and healthcare workers throughout the heat wave and to protect vulnerable people. ***
Sports Minister Marina Ferrari also told broadcaster France Inter earlier that around 20 people had died by drowning since the start of the weekend.
Twenty-eight departments have been placed at high risk of wildfires, while the number will stand at 34 for Wednesday, BFMTV reported.
A wildfire that has been burning for several days in the southern department of Aveyron has threatened several hundred hectares of vegetation, according to regional newspaper Midi Libre.
The fire, located in steep terrain near the commune of Nant, reignited on Tuesday morning, with around 80 firefighters deployed to contain the blaze, the report said.
The country recorded its hottest night ever since 1947, with a national thermal indicator for minimum temperatures of 21.6C (70.9F).
The national average temperature in France also broke a new monthly record on Monday with 29.2C (84.6F), the report added, citing national weather service Meteo-France.
For Tuesday, 54 departments are under red alert and 35 under orange alert as temperatures are expected to reach 40C (104F).
Several other European countries are also bracing for high temperatures.
The UK Met Office has issued a Red Extreme Heat Warning for Wednesday and Thursday, with forecasts indicating that June's all-time daily temperature record could be broken.
In Spain, the national weather service Aemet has issued red and orange warnings across most parts of the country, as temperatures are expected to reach 44C (111F).
Several Portuguese regions are also expected to experience temperatures close to 40C (104F), while Italy has also issued red and orange heat alerts for several cities.
Temperatures will remain above 30C (86F) on Tuesday across Belgium, while they are projected to range between 33C and 39C (91-102F) toward the end of the week, according to the broadcaster RTL, citing the Royal Meteorological Institute.
