European heatwave causes 1,000 excess deaths in France
Key takeaways
- According to AFP estimates, at least 191 million people are forecast to experience temperatures of at least 35C in Europe.
- The agency added that most of the deaths had involved people aged 65 and older, though the health effects of the extreme heat have affected the entire population.
- Since June 20, Europeans have been experiencing an intense heatwave that has caused museums and schools to shut early.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
According to AFP estimates, at least 191 million people are forecast to experience temperatures of at least 35C in Europe.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo People cool off in a fountain as they wait for the Sunday Angelus prayer led by Pope Leo XIV in St Peter's Square at the Vatican [Alberto Pizzoli/AFP]By AFP, DPA and Reuters Published On 28 Jun 202628 Jun 2026France’s public health agency has reported 1,000 excess deaths as an intense heatwave continues to attack Europe.
The agency, which operates under the French Ministry of Health, said on Sunday that its preliminary count of excess deaths found most of the fatalities involved older people, and it expected that the mortality rate would rise as more information was released about deaths in homes and residential care.