A brutal, record-smashing heatwave across Western Europe has caused an estimated 1,000 excess deaths in France since June 24, according to preliminary figures released Sunday by the national public health agency, Santé Publique France. The exceptional weather system drove temperatures above 40°C (104°F) in multiple regions, including a record-shattering 40.3°C in Paris. Health officials report that 85% of the fatalities involved citizens aged 65 and older, with a particularly sharp 40% increase in deaths occurring at home, especially within the highly urbanized Île-de-France region surrounding the capital. While violent weekend thunderstorms and more than 127,000 lightning strikes have begun lowering temperatures across western areas, French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist warned that hospitals remain under severe pressure from heat-related illnesses and delayed medical complications, noting that the health impact of such an intense climate event can linger for up to ten days after the peak heat recedes.