France is bracing for a new heatwave this coming weekend, after a brief cooling off period that brought temporary relief to the people. Authorities warn that the country has not yet recovered from the effects of the recent extreme temperatures, which put the health system under serious strain, NOVA reported.
According to health authorities, 2,025 additional deaths linked to the heatwave were recorded between June 22 and 28 alone. The number of victims is expected to rise, as the final data has not yet been processed.
The consequences of the heat are already being felt in the funeral sector. Funeral homes around Paris are working at their limits, and crematoriums are overloaded. According to funeral director Zweier Herteli, if a cremation were requested today, the earliest available date would be July 10. This means that the bodies would have to remain in the funeral homes until the necessary procedures were carried out.
The president of the SOS Médecins organization, Dr. Sébastien Chopin, explained that the worst effects of heat waves do not occur immediately. According to him, the most vulnerable patients begin to deteriorate four to five days after the start of extreme temperatures, when the body is already severely exhausted. Despite the temporary decrease in temperatures, doctors fear that the new heat wave in the coming days could lead to even more health complications.
In large French cities, people are buying up fans and air conditioners en masse. In many places, stocks have already run out, and in some stores, physical clashes between customers have occurred, and the police have had to intervene.
The heat is seriously making life difficult for residents of the French capital. The situation is particularly difficult in the small attic apartments under the zinc roofs of Paris, where temperatures reach almost unbearable values.
The resident of one of these apartments, Ulysse Zachary, said that he keeps the windows constantly open, uses a fan, takes a shower before bed and even sleeps with wet towels on his body in order to be able to fall asleep.
His apartment is only nine square meters, and despite good insulation, after a few hours of strong sun it turns into a real sauna.
Prof. Anna Mavrodiani from the Institute of Ecological Design and Engineering warned that such heat waves will become more frequent, longer and more intense. She said that much of Europe's existing housing stock is designed to retain heat in winter, but not to prevent overheating in the summer months. She said the building stock must be adapted to a changing climate.
Extreme temperatures are already having a serious impact on agriculture. In many parts of France, harvests begin before sunrise or continue at night to avoid the hottest hours of the day.
The use of agricultural machinery is limited due to the high risk of fires. Producers are warning of a weaker wheat harvest, and the future of corn and sunflowers will depend on the amount of rainfall in the coming weeks.
The authorities in Paris have introduced emergency measures due to the extreme heat. Alcohol consumption in public places was banned, and stores had to stop selling alcohol after 6 p.m.
Liquor store owner Simon Berro said he understood the authorities' motives, but that such a measure was illogical, since people could freely consume alcohol in bars while purchases from stores were restricted.