France Records 7,000 Excess Deaths Amid Summer Heatwaves
France recorded around 7,000 excess deaths during successive heatwaves this summer through the end of July, Health Minister Stéphanie Rist has said.
Rist disclosed the figure on Friday, saying the final assessment of the heatwaves’ impact would be released in the coming weeks.
The latest estimate is higher than an earlier assessment by Santé publique France, which recorded 5,764 excess deaths between June 17 and July 2 alone — representing mortality about 36% above expected levels during that period.
The deaths are classified as excess mortality, meaning they are deaths above the number normally expected for the period. The measure does not mean that every death was directly caused by heat.
The figures come after France experienced its hottest summer on record, with temperatures averaging about 24°C between June and August — around 3.6°C above the historical average. The country also experienced 53 heatwave days during the summer.
The latest toll highlights the growing health consequences of extreme heat as France and other European countries experience increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves.
Final mortality figures are expected to provide a clearer picture of the full human cost of the summer’s extreme temperatures.
