France’s public health agency estimates that the country’s historic heat wave has contributed to approximately 1,000 excess deaths, with officials warning the true toll is likely to rise as more data becomes available from nursing homes and private residences.

While most of the victims are elderly, authorities say the extreme temperatures have also claimed the lives of younger people. In one tragic case, a 34-year-old woman died after her body temperature reached 41°C (105.8°F), sending her into severe hyperthermia. Despite intensive efforts by doctors, including ice-bath treatment, she could not be saved.

Unlike Israel, air conditioning remains uncommon in much of France and Europe, leaving many residents struggling to cope with the prolonged heat. Social media has been flooded with tips on keeping homes cool, including using emergency blankets, aluminum foil, and reflective window coverings.

French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said the country remains in the midst of the crisis, warning that the health effects of the heat wave could continue for up to 10 days even after temperatures begin to fall.

Severe storms that followed the heat have also caused widespread damage, knocking out power to roughly 36,000 households across northern and central France. Although cooler air has arrived in some areas, heat alerts remain in effect across parts of northeastern France.

Scientists say the heat wave, which began on June 20, is the most severe ever recorded in Europe. They warn that climate change has made extreme nighttime temperatures far more common than in previous decades.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said around 150 million people are currently living under extreme heat conditions, with hundreds of deaths reported, schools closed, and power grids under strain. He warned that heat waves once considered “once-in-a-generation” events are now occurring almost every year because of global warming.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)