Portugal lifeguard federation warns of rising drowning risk amid heat wave

The Portuguese Federation of Lifeguards (Fepons) has issued a warning about an increased risk of drowning over the coming days as a prolonged heat wave is forecast to push temperatures up to 43 °C in parts of the country. The federation urged authorities to include drowning risk in public heat‑wave advisories and recommended that people use supervised swimming areas, avoid unsupervised rivers, dams and lakes, swim with a companion, keep children constantly within arm’s length, and refrain from drinking alcohol before or during swimming.

Fepons noted that 57 people had drowned in Portugal up to 31 May, matching the 2024 figure and marking the worst period since the federation’s drowning‑watch database began in 2017. The warning cites similar spikes in France, where more than 50 drownings have been recorded during the current heat wave. The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) has placed several districts under a yellow alert and plans to raise an orange alert for the Alentejo region and, subsequently, for Lisbon, Setúbal, Santarém and Leiria.

The federation’s appeal seeks to integrate drowning‑prevention messages into broader heat‑wave public safety communications.