Drownings surge in France amid June heatwave

France recorded over 100 drowning deaths in just one month — a 58% rise from last year — as unusually high temperatures drove more people to water, public health officials say.

According to Santé Publique France, 429 total drownings were reported between June 1 and July 2, marking a 95% increase compared to the same period in 2024. More than 100 of these incidents were fatal.

The spike comes in the wake of a severe heatwave that gripped much of Europe in late June. “These increases occurred in a context of high temperatures... which led to an increase in people going to swimming areas to cool off,” the agency said.

The 10-day heatwave, which ended on July 2, also contributed to 2,300 heat-related deaths across 12 European cities, according to scientists.

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