France records 20 drowning deaths amid intense heatwave

France is grappling with a deadly heatwave, with at least 20 people drowning since the weekend, Sports and Youth Minister Marina Ferrari announced Tuesday. The extreme temperatures, reaching around 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), have disrupted daily life, forcing school closures, train service cancellations, and event postponements across the country.

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We count on an observatory that monitors these drowning episodes and informs us -- although I do not yet have the consolidated figure -- of about twenty deaths since the start of the weekend.

Ferrari reported the grim figures, noting that an observatory tracking drowning incidents indicated about twenty fatalities since Friday. She emphasized the dangers of swimming in unsupervised areas during the intense heat. "We all need to cool off and want to access water, but it is essential to respect supervised areas," she stated.

The minister specifically warned young people against swimming in canals and other unregulated spots. "We see, for example, young people swimming in canals, and you have to be very careful about where you decide to go into the water," she added. This marks the second heatwave for many Europeans in less than a month, highlighting the increasing intensity of extreme weather events linked to climate change.

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We all need to cool off and want to access water, but it is essential to respect supervised areas.

In a tragic related incident, two young siblings, aged 2 and 4, were found dead inside their family car in Carpentras. The primary hypothesis for their deaths is the heatwave, a prosecutor told AFP. The heatwave has prompted various measures, including the suspension of classes and the cancellation of train services.

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We see, for example, young people swimming in canals, and you have to be very careful about where you decide to go into the water.