PARIS – Seven people have died in France, directly or indirectly due to the heat wave, French Junior Energy Minister Maud Bregeon said on Tuesday, a day after the national weather service recorded the hottest May day in French history.
Five of the seven fatalities were people drowning in lakes, rivers or beaches, Bregeon said. The government has ordered local authorities to take measures to protect people during sporting events, she said. France has been experiencing higher-than-average temperatures since Saturday. Most of Brittany has been under an orange level warning by weather service Meteo France, which expects temperatures to reach up to 36 degrees Celsius (96.8° Fahrenheit) on Tuesday afternoon. The heat wave is expected to continue on Wednesday and Thursday, Meteo France said on its website.
