Paris mortuaries at capacity as heatwave death toll climbs

Paris death care facilities at capacity after record-breaking heatwave. Paris funeral homes overwhelmed after record heatwave.

France on Monday counted its heat-related deaths, as a funeral business representative said Paris morgues have been overwhelmed by a spike in fatalities during a record-breaking heatwave.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu was to chair a meeting on the impact of the heatwave, which eased on Sunday after days of punishing temperatures that disrupted daily life and forced the closure of many schools and landmark tourist attractions.

Lecornu's office said, the government would prepare for future episodes of extreme heat that scientists link to climate change.

Head of the National Funeral Federation, Elisabeth Charrier said funeral home occupancy which typically ranges between 30 percent and 45 percent during the summer has climbed above 66 percent nationwide.

In some locations, mortuaries reached full capacity, particularly in urban centres, she added.

"The main difficulty is in central Paris, where the only two funeral homes have been at full capacity since last Friday," said Charrier.

She warned of a "domino effect" in the coming days.

"People have to go outside Paris, into the inner or outer suburbs, or even further to find space and be able to pay their respects," said Funeral's federation head, adding, "What may complicate matters is the extension of waiting times for cremation slots or burial space in cemeteries."

She further highlighted that "Cemetery staff cannot dig graves much faster, and cremation slots fill up very quickly."

It comes as French health officials informed on Sunday that there had been more than 1000 deaths recorded and the number is quite greater than the same period in previous months since France was at its hottest since records began.

As reported by AFP, 85% of those who died were aged 65 and over.

Notably, the sharpest increases involved people dying at home, especially in Paris and its suburbs as reported.

The opposition criticized the authorities for what it described as a lack of preparation for extreme weather.

"We must shed full light on the very heavy human toll to come in order to determine the political responsibilities that led to this dramatic situation. Some will have to face the consequences," Greens leader Marine Tondelier said on X on Sunday.

On the contrary Interior Minister Laurent Nunez defended the government's response to the extreme temperatures.

"No, it is not a fiasco," he told daily Le Parisien."It is completely unprecedented to have such levels of temperature, far above seasonal norms."

To the curb the heatwave challenges "in the long term, we obviously need to consider France´s level of air-conditioning, and even before that, how public buildings should be constructed." he added.