Drowning deaths soar in France as Europe buckles in peak of heatwave

France is grappling with a deadly heatwave, reporting 40 drowning deaths since last Thursday as temperatures soar to record levels. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu highlighted the danger, urging caution against swimming in unsupervised areas during the extreme heat.

The heatwave has gripped much of Europe, with Spain and Italy also facing intense heat. France recorded its hottest June day and night on record this week, prompting widespread red alerts across the country. Spain is particularly vulnerable to climate change, experiencing increasingly frequent June heatwaves.

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It's not something to be taken lightly, going swimming in unsupervised areas during a heatwave.

In Italy, 15 cities, including Rome and Milan, are under a red heatwave alert, signaling severe health risks even for healthy adults. French sports minister Marina Ferrari emphasized that many people underestimate the risks when cooling off in rivers and canals.

The fatalities include a 13-year-old girl who drowned in the River Seine and a young professional footballer in critical condition after being pulled from the River Rhône. Two young children also died after being found in a hot car in Carpentras. Germany is also experiencing dangerous temperatures, with several fatal swimming incidents reported.

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There is evidence that heatwaves were now taking place more frequently at the start of summer than in previous decades.