France, experiencing extreme heat, recorded its hottest day in history with an average temperature of 29.8 degrees across the country. Due to the heatwave, a red alert was issued in 54 regions, and 40 people have drowned in recent days.
France, experiencing extreme heat, recorded its hottest day in history with an average temperature of 29.8 degrees across the country. Due to the heatwave, a red alert was issued in 54 regions, and 40 people have drowned in recent days.
The French Meteorological Service (Meteo-France) announced that the average of night and day temperatures measured at 30 meteorological stations across the country reached 29.8 degrees, marking the highest level recorded since 1947. It was noted that the previous record was 29.4 degrees, measured in August 2003 and July 2019. In the town of Pissos, thermometers showed 44.3 degrees, while in the city of Bordeaux, the temperature reached 42.1 degrees. It was also stated that the average night temperatures, measured at 21.6 degrees, reached the highest level recorded since 1947.
40 PEOPLE DROWNED
With the rise in temperatures, drowning incidents occurred as people entered water in unmonitored areas. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that since the heatwave began on June 18, 40 people, mostly young, have drowned. Lecornu said, “We are experiencing an exceptional intensity. Local and national temperature records are being broken every day and night.” Meteo-France reported that a 'red alert' was issued in 54 regions, which corresponds to about half of the country.
CHANGES IN WORKING HOURS
The rise in temperatures also led to changes in the working hours of tourist sites. The Eiffel Tower closed at 4:00 PM, while the Louvre Museum decided to move visiting hours two hours earlier, closing at 4:00 PM until Saturday. A statement from the museum management indicated that with the increasing number of visitors, heat accumulation inside rises towards the end of the day, and some galleries may be closed to protect the artworks.
