Since Thursday, at least 40 people have drowned in France while swimming in unsupervised waters amid an intense heatwave, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu reported. He described the fatalities as a “sad plague,” noting that most victims were young. Authorities have strongly urged the public to avoid swimming in rivers, lakes, and seas without lifeguard supervision.

Among the casualties is a 21-year-old professional footballer who remains in critical condition after struggling in the Rhône River near Lyon. According to French broadcaster BFM, the player, who competes for a second-division club, was rescued by emergency teams but is now brain dead.

Elsewhere in southern France, a manslaughter investigation has been launched following the deaths of two young children aged two and four in Carpentras. The children were found unconscious inside their mother’s parked car, where they had climbed unnoticed during a shopping trip. Despite immediate medical assistance, the children could not be revived.

The heatwave gripping much of Europe has sparked growing concern. In France, the overnight temperature averaged 21.6 degrees Celsius on Monday—an unprecedented level since records began in 1947. Temperatures are expected to soar further, with forecasts predicting highs of 41C in Paris, 43C in Bordeaux, and 44C in Nantes. Many regions remain under alert: 54 out of 96 metropolitan départements are on red alert for heat, with an additional 35 on orange alert. Meteorologists do not anticipate significant relief before Friday.

Spain has also imposed restrictions in response to the extreme heat and heightened wildfire risks. Authorities canceled or limited the traditional San Juan bonfires and fireworks, events that combine pagan midsummer customs with celebrations of Saint John the Baptist’s birth. The Spanish national weather agency warned of potential highs reaching 44C in parts of Jaen and Cordoba. The health ministry indicated that 85 percent of municipalities—more than 3,000 towns and cities, encompassing roughly 21.5 million residents—are under some form of heat warning.

In Italy, the health ministry declared a red alert in 15 cities, while Germany faces record-breaking temperatures ahead as a “heat dome” fueled by Saharan air settles over parts of the country. Local authorities in Frankfurt banned barbeques in public parks to reduce fire hazards. Meanwhile, a lido near Halle sparked controversy for denying entry to visitors lacking sufficient German language skills, with operators explaining the decision was based on the need for bathers to understand safety instructions from lifeguards.

In Paris, residents have taken refuge from the heat by swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin, where supervised swimming has been allowed. In other parts of southern Europe, people have coped in less conventional ways, such as sheltering under parasols in Naples or cooling off in fountains in Ronda, near Marbella.