France records around 1,000 excess deaths during deadly heatwave

Europe is enduring one of its most severe heatwaves in recent history, with France reporting around 1,000 excess deaths in just three days as record-breaking temperatures fuelled wildfires, disrupted transport networks and even triggered explosions from unexploded Second World War ammunition in Germany.

In Germany, a new nighttime temperature record was reported Sunday from Kubschütz, in eastern Saxony, where the temperature did not drop below 29.4 degrees Celsius (84.9 Fahrenheit).

PARIS — France has recorded 1,000 more deaths than usual this month — an increase that can be attributed to the record-breaking heat wave the country has gone through in recent days.

With fatalities increasing and infrastructure struggling, the current heatwave is fast becoming one of Europe’s most alarming climate emergencies in recent decades.