More than 1,000 people have died in France due to sweltering heat, leaving morgues running out of room to store bodies. The situation is so dire that there is a long wait for cremation and refrigerated trucks are needed to preserve the bodies.
France Heatwave 2026: The scorching heat in Europe this year has disrupted people’s lives. The outbreak of the heatwave has been particularly horrific in France, where more than 1,000 deaths have been officially recorded. This figure is just the beginning and it is feared that it may go up in the coming days.
Lack of space in mortuaries
According to Jouhair Hertelli, the operator of a leading mortuary in Orly, near Paris, France, the situation is so dire that space is running out to store the bodies. They have a capacity to hold 32 corpses, which is currently completely full. Herteli said that- we are getting hundreds of calls every day, but we don’t have space to accept more dead bodies. The wait for cremation is also going on till July 10, forcing the use of refrigerated trucks to preserve the bodies for longer.
System and expert warning
According to health experts, the most at risk in this heat are the elderly above the age of 65 and people with pre-existing illnesses. This heat is proving fatal for the elderly living alone at home. The Meteorological Department has warned that this heatwave condition may intensify again in the near future.
A special appeal has been made by the system to the people that-
- Drink plenty of water and avoid dehydration.
- Avoid going out of the house at noon.
- Take regular care of old and sick people living in your neighborhood.
This heat wave is wreaking havoc not only in France, but also in countries like Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic, due to which the entire European healthcare system is under pressure.
