Extreme Heatwave Sweeps Europe, Killing 40 in France as Temperatures Soar

France is bearing the brunt of an extreme heatwave gripping Europe, with authorities saying 40 people have drowned in recent days after entering rivers and canals to cool off. Most of the victims were young people. In the same period, three elderly people died from the heat, and in southeastern France two children, ages two and four, were found dead in a hot family car.

On Tuesday, French officials said the country was under one of the most severe heat alerts in its history, with temperatures reaching up to 43 degrees Celsius in some areas. More than half of France’s departments were placed under the highest red alert, over 800 schools were closed, and unusual restrictions were imposed, including a ban on drinking alcohol during the annual music festival because of dehydration risks.

The heatwave is the second to hit Europe in just two months. Authorities have issued severe warnings in 26 other countries, from Ireland to Greece. Britain is preparing for record temperatures, Spain has declared a red alert in the Basque Country, and Madrid closed its World Cup fan zone over public safety concerns.

Experts say the crisis is being intensified by a cyclical climate phenomenon that warms Pacific Ocean waters and affects weather systems worldwide. They describe it as a kind of accelerator of global warming, making European heatwaves more extreme, longer, and deadlier. France’s weather service warned the current event could approach the severity of the deadly 2003 heatwave, which killed about 15,000 people. The World Health Organization calls extreme heat a “silent killer,” and says more than 200,000 people have died from it in the past four years.