France has recorded around 1,000 excess deaths in just four days, as an unprecedented June heatwave swept across the country, overwhelming hospitals, funeral homes and emergency services while exposing the growing health risks of extreme temperatures.
According to Sante publique France, the country’s public health agency, approximately 1,000 more people than expected died between June 24 and June 27, based on preliminary mortality data.
The agency stressed that the figures are not yet fully consolidated and could rise even further.
The grim toll comes after temperatures climbed above 40°C in many parts of France, with several regions placed under the country’s highest red heat alert.
The heatwave has since eased in parts of the country, but officials warn its health impacts could continue for days.
HEAT THAT KILLS UNEQUALLY
French health authorities said 85% of the excess deaths involved people aged 65 years or older, with the sharpest increase seen among people dying at home, particularly in the densely populated regions like Paris.
Excess deaths refer to the number of people who die above what would normally be expected during a given period based on historical averages.
The measure captures not only direct heatstroke deaths but also fatalities where extreme heat worsens existing heart, respiratory or kidney conditions.
IS CLIMATE CHANGE THE CULPRIT?
Scientists say the late-June heatwave was intensified by human-caused climate change, with Europe continuing to warm faster than the global average, making heatwaves more frequent, longer-lasting and more intense.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has repeatedly described heat as a “silent killer”, warning that many European homes, schools and workplaces were not designed to cope with prolonged extreme temperatures.
The latest mortality figures come just weeks after France estimated that an earlier spell of unusually early heat in May 2026 caused around 300 excess deaths, highlighting how dangerous heat is becoming even before the peak of summer.
Unlike the peak summer heat usually experienced in July or August, the June heatwaves arrived unusually early, catching many people and public services off guard.
Although temperatures have moderated in much of France, meteorologists expect another round of hot weather to develop over parts of Europe.
The toll has been released as France confronts another severe heatwave that has pushed temperatures above 40°C in several regions, forcing authorities to expand heat warnings across much of the country.
Hospitals, emergency services and care homes have been placed on heightened alert as officials work to protect vulnerable populations.
Although the latest figure of 1,000 deaths remains preliminary, it serves as another reminder of the growing public health challenge posed by extreme temperatures.
Meteorologists expect the current hot spell to ease slightly in some regions over the coming days, but forecasts suggest another surge of high temperatures could follow.
– Ends
