Ankara: French authorities on Sunday warned that the health impacts of the country's prolonged heat wave are likely to continue despite a gradual drop in temperatures, as hospitals and emergency services remain under heavy pressure. Health Minister Stephanie Rist urged continued vigilance, saying the country is seeing a higher-than-normal number of deaths linked to the extreme heat.
According to Anadolu Agency, Rist noted that preliminary data from Public Health France indicated around 1,000 more deaths than normal since Wednesday. She stressed that the figures remain provisional and emphasized that pressure on the healthcare system would continue for several days. The minister compared the current situation to the deadly heat wave of 2003, but assured that the current health measures in place are more robust.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's office also highlighted that although the heat wave is receding, its health consequences, including dehydration, delayed hospitalizations, and worsening conditions among vulnerable people, will persist. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported a "significant increase" in heat-related interventions, with firefighters conducting about 122,000 operations during the extreme weather. Despite the cooler temperatures, he called for continued caution, particularly during sporting activities.
While temperatures eased across much of France following severe thunderstorms overnight, two northeastern departments remained under the highest red heat wave alert on Sunday. Additionally, 34 departments were under orange heat wave warnings and 14 under orange thunderstorm alerts. The storms resulted in at least seven minor injuries in northern France and caused electricity outages for approximately 63,000 households, according to authorities and electricity network operator Enedis.
The extreme weather also impacted sporting events. Organizers of the French road cycling championships decided to shorten Sunday's men's race by one lap due to temperatures remaining around 35C (95F) at the start, ensuring the safety of participants.