Two heatwaves hit France this summer and it led to an additional 1,500 deaths in the country according to France’s health minister.
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Ms Buzyn said: “The 2003 heatwave lasted 20 days. We had 18 days in two waves and we managed to cut mortality by a factor of 10 thanks to preventative measures.”
The country’s health minister Agnes Buzyn said measure which were put in place for the heatwave helped to lower the number of deaths in comparison to the heatwave which hit in 2003 and killed 15,000 people. Ms Buzyn said half of the people who died were aged over 75. A further 10 people died at work. During the summer, red alerts were issued in several areas of France.
France recorded its highest-ever temperature of 46C (114.8F) in June. The heatwave returned in July and Paris saw temperatures of 42.6C.
According to the Ministry of Health, 567 people died during France’s first heatwave this year from 24 June to 7 July. Then during the second from 21 to 27 July 868 people died.
No other country has released official data on deaths caused by this year’s heatwaves yet.
