France recorded 5,700 more deaths than usual during its historic June heat wave
Public health officials in France reported 5,700 excess deaths linked to a severe heat wave that occurred between late June and early July. This mortality rate is the highest recorded in the country since the historic 2003 heat wave.
Why it matters
The data underscores the growing public health risks posed by extreme weather events and the necessity for improved heat-mitigation strategies.
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PARIS (AP) — France recorded at least 5,700 more deaths than usual during a historic heat wave last month, the public health agency said Wednesday, sharply increasing its estimates of the feared toll from record-shattering temperatures.
Public Health France said regions hit by the heat from June 17 to July 2 recorded 21,674 deaths from all causes. But without a heat wave, those same regions would have been expected to have seen far fewer deaths, or 15,910, based on statistical modeling using data from previous years, it said.
The difference between expected and actual deaths — a total of 5,764 — are therefore considered to be “excess” deaths during the heat wave, the agency said.
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