France’s summer heatwave killed 1,500 people, health minister announces
Country saw 18 days of heatwave recorded during June and July, Agnes Buzyn says
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Your support makes all the difference.Heatwaves in France caused around 1,500 more deaths than usual over June and July, the country’s health minister has said.
Agnes Buzyn said 1,465 more people died than usual during the hot spells, up 9.1 per cent on average for the period, health ministry data shows.
She said there were 18 days of recorded heatwave in France this year during June and July.
However, she said a campaign of public awareness had saved many lives.
She noted there were fewer deaths than the scorching heat wave in 2003 that claimed 15,000 lives.
“The 2003 heatwave lasted 20 days. We had 18 days in two waves and we managed to cut mortality by a factor of 10 thanks to preventative measures,” Ms Buzyn told France Info and France Inter radio stations.
She added: ”We have succeeded – thanks to prevention, thanks to workable messages the French population heeded – to reduce fatalities by a factor of 10.”
The highest temperature in France this summer was 46C on 28 June at Verargues in the south of France – breaking the record for the highest temperature ever recorded in the country.
Earlier this year, the UK saw its highest officially recorded temperature of 38.7C and joined Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands in the list of countries that have broken their national records this year.
Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary general, warned this summer’s record-breaking heat is a consequence of climate change.
“If we do not take action on climate change now, these extreme weather events are just the tip of the iceberg. And, indeed, the iceberg is also rapidly melting,” Mr Guterres said.
“Preventing irreversible climate disruption is the race of our lives, and for our lives. It is a race that we can and must win.”
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