France’s record-shattering heat wave has now killed 40 people — mostly by drowning — as desperate residents plunge into rivers and lakes to escape temperatures that have broken the country’s all-time heat record.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed Tuesday that the victims, most of them young people, drowned since last Thursday while trying to cool off. The national weather service, Météo France, placed 54 of the country’s departments — roughly half the nation — under a red heat wave alert.
The heat is so intense it is shutting down Paris landmarks. The Eiffel Tower is now closing in the afternoon rather than late at night. The Louvre is closing two hours early through Saturday.
“Heat buildup is greatest toward the end of the day and is further intensified by high visitor numbers,” the museum said.
Météo France warned that “further record-breaking temperatures are expected, including some that could surpass all previous records, regardless of the time of year.” The heat wave has drawn comparisons to August 2003, when extreme temperatures killed an estimated 15,000 Europeans — many of them elderly people without air conditioning.
Italy, Spain and Britain are also reeling. The U.K. could break its all-time June temperature record by Thursday.
Read more:
• Europe swelters under an early heat wave as France records its hottest day ever
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