PARIS — Public Health France reported more than 1,400 deaths on the Thursday of a heat wave's peak in mid-June 2026, following more than 1,200 deaths on Wednesday and 1,400 on Friday. The agency stated that mortality figures are expected to increase as more death certificates are processed, noting that "Mortality will as a consequence be higher than these first figures." Preliminary estimates indicate at least 1,000 additional deaths occurred during the three days at the peak of the heat wave.

During the heat wave, temperatures across many parts of France exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), and records for nighttime high temperatures were broken. France registered its hottest-ever day on the Wednesday of the heat wave's peak, following a previous heat record set on the Tuesday. Public Health France reported that 85% of the deaths registered during the three days studied involved individuals aged 65 and above. The death rate in France during April and May, prior to the heat wave, was approximately 900 to 1,000 per day. The agency also reported a 40% increase in deaths at home, particularly within the Paris region.

Zouhaeir Hertelli, a mortuary owner in Paris, stated, "We're facing a really catastrophic situation." Hertelli's mortuary cold room, which has 32 places, was fully occupied. He added, "We're dealing with an enormous spike of deaths because of the heat wave and we're really full, full, full." Hertelli, whose mortuary is situated next to Paris' Orly airport, has requested authorization from authorities to install refrigerated containers outside his facility. "We have no solution to offer them, because the funeral homes are full," Hertelli said.

Paris City Hall installed two temporary storage units, each with 20 places, for municipal mortuaries to accommodate the increase in demand. Additionally, city hospitals in Paris provided 50 more places for body storage. Funeral directors in Paris are transporting bodies to Chartres, located 80 kilometers from Paris. Véronique Bertrand, a funeral director in Paris, explained, "Most of the deaths that we are dealing with at the moment were people who were living alone at home, isolated." Bertrand concluded, "Given the circumstances in which they were found, there can be no other conclusion than that these were deaths caused by the heat."

Why It Matters

The June 2026 heat wave in France resulted in an increase in daily deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and above, and led to mortuaries in Paris reaching full capacity. This event follows previous heat waves that caused high mortality rates in France, including 15,000 deaths in 2003 and more than 5,700 deaths during the summer of 2025.