40 drown in France as heat wave persists

Forty people have drowned in France during a continuing heat wave, with officials saying most victims were young people in unsupervised swimming areas.

The toll underscores the danger surrounding informal swimming during periods of intense heat, when people may seek relief away from monitored locations. Officials’ account placed particular emphasis on young victims and areas without supervision.

The reported deaths make water safety an urgent concern as the heat wave continues in France. The available account did not include a broader breakdown of the incidents, but the official description points to unsupervised swimming as a central factor in many of the drownings.