At least 55 individuals were reported submerged in France while attempting to mitigate the effects of record heat, according to the Minister of Sport, Marina Ferrari, speaking to Franceinfo. Government officials expressed concern that this figure could escalate in the coming days, given that 61 French departments currently maintain a red heat alert, while an additional 25 are under an orange alert. Authorities anticipate adjustments to the warning levels, expecting 11 departments to transition from red to orange alert, and another 13 to be removed from the red list by Saturday morning.
Meteo-France forecasts temperature variations across the country on Friday, with temperatures expected to range between 36 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit in different regions. Compounding the situation, the Minister of Health, Stephanie Rist, issued a warning on Thursday regarding the strain anticipated on local hospitals by the end of the week. She noted that emergency department visits and calls were expected to increase significantly due to the extreme weather conditions.
The current level of public awareness and the sustained high temperatures underscore the ongoing public health concern related to the intense heatwave gripping the nation.
Topics: #alert #heat #red
