Khaberni - A man in his thirties died outside an athletics track in the capital Paris, today, Thursday, as a new heatwave sweeps most parts of France, causing disruptions in transportation and extensive adjustments to school schedules.
Although summer has not officially started yet, this wave is considered the second to hit the country during 2026, following days that saw record high temperatures in half of the country's regions last month.
Firefighters reported that the man died on Thursday morning in the suburb of Hermon, north of Paris, following a heart attack, where attempts to save him failed.
Alert and Official Warnings
The French authorities have announced the "orange" alert level - the second highest - in a quarter of the country's area including the capital Paris, with official calls for the public to exercise "extreme caution". It is expected that this warning will extend to cover more than half of the country by tomorrow, Friday.
The national weather agency, Météo France, has warned that this heatwave will be "widespread, severe, and long-lasting", as it is expected to continue throughout the next week, expected to peak on Sunday or Monday, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius in the capital and other regions.
Experts fear that the summer solstice on Sunday, the longest day of the year, might exacerbate conditions due to the long hours of sunlight.
In the educational sector, many schools have announced adjustments to study hours starting from this Thursday afternoon, while mayors of several cities - still lacking essential facilities to cope with the heat - consider suspending classes altogether.
In the city of Tours in the Loire Valley, the mayor, Emmanuel Denis, assured that he would not hesitate to close 58 educational institutions if the temperature reached 40 degrees Celsius.
In terms of transportation, the French National Railway Company "SNCF" announced the cancellation of 71 long-distance train trips, between today, Thursday, and the upcoming Monday, in order to "avoid potential failures in air conditioning systems due to very high temperatures".
These conditions remind of the repercussions of the heatwave that hit the country in June of last year, which at the time led to the closure of about 2200 schools across France.
This escalation of climatic phenomena comes at a time when scientists warn that heatwaves in the European continent have become more frequent and intense due to global climate changes.
