France Sees Cooling Temperatures as Hospitals and Funeral Services Remain Overrun

Overview

• Météo‑France signalled a partial ebb in the multi‑day heatwave with the number of departments in red alert falling to the high 30s and forecasts expecting further easing by Sunday evening.
• Emergency services have been overwhelmed, with Paris area Samu centres reporting an 80% rise in calls over the week and AP‑HP saying emergency visits were up about 36% during a recent 24‑hour period.
• The Samu of Paris recorded 109 deaths in 24 hours on Friday, a sharp jump above normal figures that counts people found dead at home or in public and excludes in‑hospital deaths.
• In response, authorities have triggered regional and hospital 'plan blanc' crisis protocols, mobilised the national reserve sanitaire, opened extra emergency shelter and approved a 30,000 air‑conditioner purchase plus a €100 million envelope for urgent cooling needs.
• Funeral directors report mortuary capacity strains in Paris and officials warn more deaths are likely in the days ahead because heat‑related dehydration and medical decompensations typically lag the meteorological peak.