- Forty people have drowned in France since 18 June, many of them young, as they sought to cool down during a severe heatwave .
- French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirmed the death toll ahead of an emergency meeting, noting the 'sad scourge' of drownings.
- Much of France is experiencing temperatures around 40C, with some western areas expecting up to 43C, leading to 54 departments being under red alert.
- The country has recorded its hottest afternoon and night since 1947, with authorities warning against swimming in unauthorised or dangerous areas.
- Other European nations, including Britain, Italy, and Spain, are also enduring extreme heat, with Europe warming at more than twice the global average.
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