France recorded at least 817 excess deaths during Jul 27-Aug 20 heatwaves

This brings the total number of excess deaths recorded since June to nearly 8,000

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, Aug 2, 2026.

France recorded at least 817 excess deaths between Jul 27 and Aug 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 Jun 17 and Jul 2 and 1,243 for the period between Jul 3 and Jul 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.