France records around 1,000 additional deaths as extreme heat breaks European records

The country experienced a surge in deaths last week at the height of its record-smashing heat wave, the national public health agency said.

BERLIN — France experienced around 1,000 additional deaths last week at the height of its record-smashing heat wave, the country’s public health agency said Sunday, as the head of the World Health Organization warned that Europe is now the fastest-warming continent and needs to do more to protect its citizens.

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Temperature records were toppled in several countries on the weekend, wildfires were sparked in Germany and Berlin police used water cannons to cool down the crowds.

Meanwhile, the heat wave slowly moved toward eastern parts of the continent.