Paris 24 June(UNIPA News)— France remained under severe heatwave conditions on Wednesday, with red heat alerts extended to 58 regions as exceptionally high temperatures continued to affect large parts of the country and spread across Western Europe.
French authorities reported that the country recorded its hottest June day on record on Tuesday, with an average national temperature of 29.8°C. Forecasts indicate temperatures could reach as high as 43°C in southwestern France on Wednesday, while much of western France, including Paris and Brittany, is expected to experience temperatures between 39°C and 40°C through the weekend.
Prime Minister François Bayrou said 40 people have drowned in heatwave-related incidents since last Thursday. Among the victims was a 13-year-old girl who died while swimming in the River Seine near Fontaine-le-Port.
The extreme weather has also disrupted infrastructure. Around 68,000 households in the Finistère region of northwestern France lost electricity on Tuesday evening following a transformer failure. Authorities said full restoration of power may not be completed before the end of Wednesday.
Emergency services also brought a major wildfire under control overnight in the Breignon Forest in the Maine-et-Loire region after more than 150 firefighters were deployed to contain the blaze.
Public institutions have taken precautionary measures in response to the heat. The Louvre Museum in Paris announced reduced operating hours from Wednesday through Saturday, citing concerns over rising indoor temperatures and the building’s limited adaptation to extreme heat conditions.
Meteorologists expect some relief beginning Friday as temperatures gradually decline. However, the transition is forecast to be accompanied by thunderstorms, increasing the risk of flash flooding and large hail.
The heatwave is expanding across Europe, prompting weather warnings in several countries. The Netherlands has issued a Code Orange alert for southern and central regions, with temperatures expected to reach up to 39°C by Friday. Belgium remains under orange heat alerts, with highs of 37°C forecast in the coming days.
Germany is expected to experience temperatures approaching 40°C over the weekend, while severe heat warnings have also been issued for parts of Poland, Croatia and Hungary.
Spain and Italy continue to face extreme conditions. Northern Spain remains under red heat alerts with temperatures forecast to reach 42°C in some areas, while Italy has placed 16 provincial capitals under red heat warnings as authorities monitor the ongoing heat emergency.