The victims — two men and a woman aged between 80 and 95 — died at their homes in the suburbs of Bordeaux, in southwestern France, on Sunday. The deaths occurred in the towns of Cenon, Saint-Médard-en-Jalles and Saint-Jean-d’Illac as temperatures exceeded 36°C across a large part of France, with some towns recording temperatures over 40 °C.
“We sadly regret three deaths of elderly people, between 80 and 95 years old,” Sophie Brocas, the state’s representative in the area, told France 3 Aquitaine on Sunday. She said emergency services were “currently attributing” the deaths to the heatwave, which is comparable in intensity to the August 2003 heatwave, one of the deadliest in European history.
Heatwave intensifies across France
The national weather service, Météo-France, has warned that the heatwave will continue through the week, with Monday and Tuesday expected to bring “exceptionally high levels” of temperature across much of the country. Some areas are expected to exceed 40°C.
The French Ministry of Health urged people to drink water regularly, avoid alcohol, keep homes cool and limit physical exertion during the hottest hours of the day.
Older people, who are particularly vulnerable, are advised to spend several hours per day in a cool or air-conditioned place, regularly cool their bodies using damp cloths or water sprays and eat regularly in smaller portions to maintain mineral balance.
The ministry has also encouraged neighbours and families to maintain regular contact with elderly or isolated people, noting that simple daily check-ins can be life-saving during extreme heat conditions.
Since 18 June, a heatwave information hotline at 0800 06 66 66 has been activated in the country "to help people cope with this extreme heat," according to the health ministry's press release.
“Everyone must adopt the right habits and look out for the most vulnerable around them,” France's health minister Stéphanie Rist warned last week. “I urge everyone to be vigilant, show solidarity, and use the free Heatwave Information Service hotline for information and support.”
The heatwave is also being acutely felt in Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland and Germany.
