Europe heatwave: France records 2,025 excess deaths as Europe braces for more extreme weather

BBC Weather says a large area of ​​high pressure has now formed from the Azores towards Portugal and Spain, and temperatures are forecast to rise in France and southern Britain by the end of the week.

While Europe braces for sweltering conditions, millions of Americans celebrating the July 4th holiday weekend are already being affected by prolonged periods of extreme heat and high humidity in the central and eastern parts of the United States.

Climate change is increasing temperatures around the world, especially in Europe. It is the fastest warming continent, warming at twice the global average, according to the Copernicus climate service.

This leads to increased summer heatwaves, greater pressure on Europe’s water resources and more intense forest fires.

This summer’s record-breaking temperatures have proven particularly deadly.

Belgium recorded 1,222 excess deaths during the heatwave; This was 39% more than usual, and nearly half were people aged 85 and over.

The country’s health ministry said the number of deaths during the heatwave was “unprecedented”.

The number of deaths recorded in France between June 22 and 28 increased by 2,025, an almost 30% increase, France’s Public Health agency announced on Friday. In the Paris region alone, deaths increased by 62 percent.

The French health ministry said the figure was likely an “incomplete” estimate and that the death rate would “therefore be higher than these initial figures”.

Drowning deaths have skyrocketed during the heat wave, with 72 people having drowned since June 18, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the unprecedented heat experienced in the Netherlands last week led to nearly 480 deaths, most of them aged 80 and over, Dutch officials said on Thursday.

Temperatures reached almost 40 degrees in some parts of the country; Most deaths were reported in the south and east of the Netherlands, where temperatures are highest.

While a cooler week is expected in the Netherlands, warm weather is expected again over the weekend in other places.

Temperatures are expected to reach 40C in the south of France, while peaks of 36 to 37C are expected around Bordeaux, Toulouse and Agen.

Météo-France issued a red alert for bushfires in the southern part of the country on Friday and Saturday, warning that weather conditions meant the risk of an outbreak was “very high” compared to summer norms.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said there had been around 7,000 fires since the start of the summer season, with around 8,700 hectares burned so far.

Nearly 3,000 people were evacuated after a forest fire broke out in the town of Sainte-Marie-la-Mer on Thursday and spread to Canet-en-Roussillon.