20 drownings reported as 54 French departments remain on red alert

On Tuesday, Météo France is forecasting exceptionally high temperatures, both during the day and at night.

Night-time lows will not fall below 18 to 24 degrees across most of the country. In the daytime, they will rise to 40, and even 42 degrees in the west.

Fifty-four départements have been placed on red heatwave alert (covering much of the western half of the country up to Burgundy) and 35 other départements are on orange heatwave alert.

In total, more than 90% of the French population is exposed to extreme, exceptional heat.

The heat is disrupting transport: several TGV high-speed trains, TER regional services and metro lines were cancelled or delayed on Monday. Disruption is expected to continue today. More than 1,300 schools also closed their doors on Monday.

The heatwave is already having sometimes tragic consequences. Speaking on France Inter, Sports and Youth Minister Marina Ferrari said that around twenty fatal drownings have been recorded since the start of the weekend.

Two young children, aged two and four, were found dead on Monday in Carpentras, in the Vaucluse. Initial reports suggest they had locked themselves in their parents’ car, parked in a residential car park. On Sunday, three elderly people died from the intense heat at home in Gironde.

Wildfires, the other threat posed by the heatwave

According to Météo France, weather conditions strongly influence the ignition and spread of fires because of the heat and lack of humidity.

Twenty-eight départements are under a “high” risk of forest fires on Tuesday. On Wednesday, that figure will rise to 34, according to Météo France.

Yesterday, several temperature records were broken, notably in Angers (40.9 degrees) and Châteaumeillant (43.3 degrees). The record for June was also broken in Paris, with 38.4 degrees recorded. But those temperatures could be exceeded on Tuesday. Peaks of 44 degrees in Bordeaux and 43 degrees in Rennes are expected around 6 p.m.

These very high temperatures are expected to persist at least until Thursday. They should then ease slightly, but will still remain above average for June, Météo France has warned.