TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - France imposed its highest red heatwave alert in 35 regions on Sunday, while another 45 remained on orange alert, as authorities warned that temperatures could approach record highs in the coming days, according to RTL.
National weather agency Meteo-France said local temperatures could reach 41 degrees Celsius on Sunday and warned that Monday was expected to be even hotter.
The agency said the national average temperature could match the highest daily level ever recorded in France, regardless of the season.
Maximum temperatures are expected to range between 40 degrees Celsius and 42 degrees Celsius in areas under the red alert.
Meteo-France said the heatwave is expected to continue for most of next week, with extremely high day and night temperatures likely to persist at least until Thursday.
It also placed four regions under a high forest fire risk alert on Sunday and said the number would rise to 11 on Monday as hot and dry conditions persist in parts of the country.
Authorities have not ruled out expanding the red alert to additional regions on Monday.
Extreme weather has prompted special measures ahead of France's annual Music Festival (Fete de la Musique) on Sunday night.
The government announced a ban on public alcohol consumption in areas under red alert, while Paris police deployed additional river patrols to prevent drownings and banned unannounced gatherings along parts of the Seine River.
According to police, 4,800 police and military police officers, along with 2,500 firefighters, were mobilized in Paris and the surrounding region for the event.
The heatwave has also been linked to several drowning deaths.
A 17-year-old boy died after being swept away by the current in the Dordogne River in southwestern France on Saturday night, emergency services said.
Separately, a 16-year-old boy drowned off the coast of Dunkirk in northern France on Saturday, while two other teenagers died in eastern France on Friday after drowning in the Doubs River.
French rail operator SNCF said it had activated emergency measures to maintain service despite the extreme temperatures.
“We are fully mobilized to face these events and ensure traffic remains as normal as possible under these extreme conditions,” said SNCF chief executive Jean Castex, as quoted from Anadolu.
French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot told BFMTV that the country's rail network is "aging" and called for additional investment to accelerate infrastructure renewal.
He said authorities had taken steps to prepare for the heatwave, but warned that its unusually early onset and intensity forced officials to make decisions aimed at preventing public services, particularly the healthcare system, from being overwhelmed.
Read: France Bans Alcohol at Festivals as Heatwave Raises Risks
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