France recorded at least 817 excess deaths during July 27-August 20 heatwaves

A police officer walks along a road as smoke billows in the background in Carcassonne, Aude department, amid worsening drought conditions following a heatwave and water shortages across much of France, August 2, 2026. REUTERS/Florion Goga

PARIS, Sept 16 - France recorded at least 817 excess deaths between July 27 and August 20, when the country was hit by exceptionally high temperatures, the national health agency said on Wednesday.

This would bring the total recorded so far to nearly 8,000 excess deaths since June and the start of a series of heatwaves.

• The count includes all deaths regardless of their cause and is an estimate based on death certificates issued during the period.

• People aged 75 and older represented the bulk of the excess mortality.

• The national health agency had already recorded 5,764 excess deaths during the period between June 17 and July 2 and 1,243 for the period between July 3 and July 20.

• Europe as a whole has experienced more extreme warming, linked to human-induced climate change, than any other continent this year, meteorologists have said. REUTERS