A severe heatwave in France has caused 109 deaths within 24 hours in Paris, according to local media reports on Saturday. Emergency medical services recorded the deaths on Friday while responding to calls from homes and public places. Typically, only about seven deaths are reported during the same period in previous years. The figure excludes hospital deaths linked to extreme heat. During the same 24-hour period, emergency services received around 3,400 calls, including 30 cardiac emergencies and one case of hyperthermia with a body temperature of 43.7 degrees Celsius.

Authorities also reported that a man drowned while swimming unsupervised in the Saint-Martin Canal in Paris. France’s sports minister said that since the start of the heatwave, 55 people have drowned nationwide, 65 percent of them in unauthorized swimming areas. Emergency call volumes in Paris and nearby regions rose by 80 percent over the past week, while hospital admissions increased by 36 percent compared to normal days.

Although temperatures have begun to drop slightly, health services remain under pressure. Meteo-France maintained red alerts in 35 regions and orange alerts for thunderstorms in 34 others, with possible easing by Sunday evening.