Forty people have died in France since last Thursday due to heatwave conditions, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced, as temperatures soar to record highs across several major cities and the heatwave peaks in Europe.
“It is imperative not to underestimate the dangers of swimming in unsupervised areas during a heatwave,” sports and youth minister Marina Ferrari warned on French radio.
France, joined by Spain and Italy, has been the hardest hit by the current heatwave.
On Monday, France recorded its hottest day and its hottest night on record, with average minimum temperatures reaching 21.6°C, according to Météo France. More than half the country was placed under a red alert.
In Spain, temperatures are projected to exceed 40°C in some regions, prompting red alerts in Andalusia, Cantabria and the Basque Country during their third consecutive day of a national heatwave.
Spain is among the European countries most affected by climate change. The state weather service Aemet reports that June heatwaves have become increasingly frequent, with ten recorded between 2000 and 2025, compared to only two in the preceding 25 years.
Italy has declared a red heatwave alert in 15 cities, including Rome, Milan, Florence, Turin and Venice, warning that the conditions pose health risks even to otherwise healthy adults.
France’s sports minister highlighted the tendency of many people to seek relief in rivers and canals without fully appreciating the associated risks.
Among the victims was a 13-year-old girl who attempted to swim with her family in the River Seine at Fontaine‑La‑Port on Sunday evening; she was not a swimmer.