Much of France was set to experience temperatures of around 40C on Tuesday, after records were shattered on Monday

Forty people have drowned in France over the past days as they sought to cool down to escape record heat, the prime minister said on Tuesday, as a heatwave swept across much of Europe.

Speaking ahead of an emergency meeting on the heatwave, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said: “A sad scourge when it comes to drownings, as the latest figures just reported to us show 40 deaths since June 18, most of them young people.”

Across France, people have been jumping into canals and rivers to cool off. French sports minister Marina Ferrari said she understood the urge to escape the heat but warned against swimming in unauthorized or dangerous areas.

    • JohnEdwa@sopuli.xyz
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      24 hours ago

      That, but ultimately it’s about time. Like how 100C water gives you a burn instantly, but so does 40C, if you sit in it for 8 hours.

      If your body can’t cool itself, you will eventually overheat and die. And the limit for a certain death (eventually) is 35C (95F) wet bulb - at that point even a perfectly healthy person at rest produces enough heat to bring their core temp to over 43C and die.