40 people have drowned in France since last Thursday. The deaths are linked to the heatwave.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called the deaths a tragic problem. He spoke after a crisis meeting on Tuesday.

He said most victims were young people. France recorded its hottest day ever during the crisis.

Monday night into Tuesday was also France's hottest night since 1947. Temperatures averaged 21.6 degrees after dark.

The previous record was 21.4 degrees set on 25 July 2019. France closed over 1,350 schools and placed 54 areas on red alert.

In Paris some people without air conditioning slept in parks to escape the heat. Italy's health ministry declared red alerts in 15 cities including Milan and Rome on Tuesday.

The number was expected to rise to 16 on Wednesday. Parts of Spain had nighttime temperatures above 30 degrees.