France records around 20 drowning deaths amid intensifying heatwave

French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari said Tuesday that around 20 people had died by drowning since the start of the weekend as the country grapples with an intensifying heatwave.

Ferrari told broadcaster France Inter that there had been “around 20 deaths since the start of the weekend.”

Twenty-eight departments have been placed at high risk of wildfires, while the number will stand at 34 for Wednesday, according to broadcaster BFMTV.

The country recorded its hottest night ever since 1947, with a national thermal indicator for minimum temperatures of 21.6C (70.9F).

The national average temperature in France also broke a new monthly record on Monday with 29.2C (84.6F), BFMTV reported, citing national weather service Meteo-France.

For Tuesday, 54 departments are under red alert and 35 under orange alert as temperatures are expected to reach 40C (104F).

Several other European countries are also bracing for high temperatures.

The UK Met Office has issued a Red Extreme Heat Warning for Wednesday and Thursday, with forecasts indicating that June’s all-time daily temperature record could be broken.

In Spain, the national weather service Aemet has issued red and orange warnings across most parts of the country, as temperatures are expected to reach 44C (111F).

Several Portuguese regions are also expected to experience temperatures close to 40C (104F), while Italy has also issued red and orange heat alerts for several cities.

Temperatures will remain above 30C (86F) on Tuesday across Belgium, while they are projected to range between 33C and 39C (91F–102F) toward the end of the week, according to broadcaster RTL, citing the Royal Meteorological Institute.