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France recorded at least 817 excess deaths during July 27-August 20 heatwaves

By Thomson Reuters Sep 16, 2026 | 8:26 AM

PARIS, Sept 16 (Reuters) – France recorded at least 817 excess deaths between July 27 ​and August 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 June 17 and July 2 and 1,243 for ⁠the ‌period between July 3 ⁠and July 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.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by ​Alex Richardson)