France records 131 drowning deaths as heatwave intensifies

Since June 19, France has suffered 131 drowning fatalities linked to the ongoing heatwave. About 55 % of the deaths occurred in unsupervised or prohibited bathing areas and 20 % in private pools. The victims are concentrated among people under 18 years old and seniors over 60, reflecting heightened vulnerability in these groups.

Sports Minister Marina Ferrari announced the figures during a visit to the supervised swimming site in Maisons‑Alfort, urging stricter safety measures. She warned, “Les chiffres ne sont pas bons, on a une augmentation de près de 20 % par rapport à l’année dernière.” The government has placed 24 departments under red‑alert heat warnings, with temperatures expected to reach 40‑42 °C in parts of western and southwestern France. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist ordered the rapid deployment of 30,000 climate‑control units to hospitals, while civil‑security officials report that forest fires have already burned twice the area recorded at the same point last year.