Overview
- Météo‑France extended vigilance rouge to 58 departments after Tuesday’s national thermal indicator set a record high, exposing more than 40 million residents to extreme heat.
- The government reported about 40 drowning deaths since June 18, mostly among young people, while emergency services and hospitals have seen sharp rises in heat‑related visits.
- EDF stopped a reactor at the Golfech plant because warming of the Garonne River limits cooling operations, and grid operators reported a transformer failure in Finistère that left roughly 68,000 homes without power.
- Transport managers warned of speed reductions and possible cancellations on RATP and SNCF services as rails and overhead lines are stressed by the high temperatures.
- Experts and officials compare the episode to 2003, say climate change has greatly increased its intensity, and warn the heatwave may continue with cascading risks for wildfires, water supplies and vulnerable populations.