Heatwave‑Murder Deadly: 40 Drownings in France Amid Widespread European Heat Disaster

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed 40 drownings in France since Thursday, a spike tied to record‑setting temperatures across the continent.

The French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari warned that many people are diving into reservoirs, rivers and canals to escape the heat, ignoring the danger. Among the victims was a 13‑year‑old girl who drowned in the Seine at Fontaine‑La‑Port with her family, despite not knowing how to swim.

Other fatal incidents included a young footballer who was pulled from the Rhône near Lyon, and thousands more drowning in rivers across Germany as temperatures climb to 40°C. The German Lifesaving Association reported six fatal incidents between Friday and Sunday, mainly men who overestimated their swimming abilities.

Spain’s Aemet forecast temperatures over 44°C in the south and 42°C in the northeast, with 101 weather stations hitting 40°C or more. Italy declared a red heatwave alert in 15 cities – sooty‑red as the most dangerous level – prompting emergency work protections for solar‑exposed workers.

The temperature surge led to red alerts in 54–58 of France’s 96 departments, extending to north‑west areas on Wednesday. Padres of the Île‑de‑France urged people to stay home: rail tracks cannot handle above 50°C and will disrupt public transport.

The Eiffel Tower closed early on Tuesday, and the Louvre shortened opening hours from 18:00 to 16:00. A nuclear plant in southwest France – Golfech – was shut down as River Garonne water temperatures approached the 28°C limit required for cooling the reactors.

In nearby regions, the Dutch KNMI issued a Code Orange weather alert for a high chance of dangerous weather until Friday, while Belgium activated its national ozone and heat plan for the second time in history. Finally, Copernicus climate data confirm Europe’s warming twice the global average, complicating future heatwaves and wildfires.