The French government said on Tuesday that seven people had died in connection with the ongoing heatwave affecting much of western Europe, with five of the deaths caused by drownings.
Image: RFI
Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon told broadcaster TF1 that the deaths were either directly or indirectly linked to the extreme heat. However, she added that the exact causes would become clearer once the current weather episode ends.
France has been experiencing unusually high temperatures, with records broken in several regions. Authorities placed eight departments in western France under orange heat alert on Tuesday, marking the first such warning for the month of May.
According to Bregeon’s office, the drowning incidents occurred in different parts of the country, ranging from the southeastern city of Lyon to areas along the Atlantic coast.
The intense heat on Monday drove large crowds to beaches and swimming areas as people sought relief from soaring temperatures. However, many beaches are not yet officially supervised by lifeguards, as the summer safety season usually begins in July.
Visitors expressed concern over the lack of supervision at some beaches. “We were just wondering this morning whether the beach was supervised,” beachgoer Thomas Dupuy told AFP while visiting a beach in the southwestern city of Anglet with his two children.
“I’m extremely careful for myself and for my children who can’t swim yet,” he said, warning about the dangerous currents common along Atlantic beaches.
