Paris mortuaries have run out of space as France grapples with a sharp rise in deaths linked to Europe's record-breaking heat wave, with officials warning that the true toll may not be known for weeks. Preliminary figures released by Public Health France show mortality surged during the country's most intense period of extreme heat last week, prompting authorities to install temporary body storage units while funeral directors struggle to accommodate the dead.
France was among the first European countries to be hit by the prolonged heat wave in mid-June, with temperatures climbing above 40C across much of the country and overnight temperatures also reaching unprecedented levels.
