Paris, July 4 : June 2026 became the hottest June ever recorded in France since records began in 1947, with an average temperature of 22.7 degrees Celsius, 3.8 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 normal, Meteo-France said Friday in its monthly climate report.

According to the public weather service, June 2026 surpassed the previous record set in June 2003, when temperatures were 3.5 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average.

A historic heatwave that began on June 17 pushed temperatures to unprecedented levels across the country from June 22 to 26, reports Xinhua news agency.

Meteo-France said June 24 and 25 were the hottest days ever recorded in France, regardless of the month, with the national 24-hour average temperature reaching 30 degrees Celsius for the first time since 1947.

The heatwave, which was early, long-lasting and very intense, continued until June 30.

A total of 72 departments in France were placed under red heatwave alert, an unprecedented level since the alert system was created in 2004, according to Meteo-France.

Meanwhile, preliminary surveillance data showed that 2,025 excess all-cause deaths were recorded in France during the heatwave from June 22 to 28, representing a 29.1 per cent increase from the previous week, the country's public health agency said on Friday.

The data, based on electronic death certificates, currently cover about 60 per cent of national mortality, which means that the actual death toll could be higher than these preliminary figures.

By age group, the increase in deaths was concentrated among people aged 45 and over, with 2,001 additional deaths recorded compared with the previous week, up 29.7 per cent. By place of death, the sharpest increase was recorded at home, where deaths rose 91 per cent, compared with increases of 37 per cent in nursing homes and 19.7 per cent in healthcare facilities.

Between June 22 and 28, France experienced one of its most intense heatwaves in nearly 80 years. According to Meteo-France, the national thermal indicator reached 30 degrees Celsius over a 24-hour period on June 24.

/IANS