There were 40 deaths from drowning recorded in France over the last week, as people turned to swimming in hopes of finding relief from a scorching heat wave. Millions across Europe faced extreme temperatures on Tuesday, and sweltering conditions continued to hit France particularly hard.The 40 people who died by drowning since last Thursday were mainly young people, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said.”It’s not something to be taken lightly, going swimming in unsupervised areas during a heat wave,” said French Sports and Youth Minister Marina Ferrari, CBS partner BBC News reported, citing an interview with French radio.AdvertisementAdvertisementExtreme conditions are expected to last at least until the end of the week, with daytime highs above 104 degrees Fahrenheit in many towns.In a country without widespread air conditioning, schools, public transportation and sporting events have been impacted. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower adjusted its operations for the scorching weather, closing in the afternoon instead of late at night as it usually does.”Further record-breaking temperatures are expected, including some that could surpass all previous records, regardless of the time of year,” Meteo France, the national weather service, said.Temperatures on Tuesday will remain high around the clock in France. Meteo France placed 54 departments, about half the country, under a red heat wave alert.AdvertisementAdvertisementFrance experienced its hottest day on record for the month of June on Monday, as well as its hottest night ever on Monday night, reported BBC News.People swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris during a heat wave, June 21, 2026. / Credit: Apaydin A/Andia/Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesMeanwhile, several other European countries were also contending with searing heat, including Italy, Spain and the United K …
