Paris residents sought out the River Seine and Canal Saint-Martin in hopes of cooling off from the extreme temperatures that hit the city last week. The thermometers, which reached more than 40°C, led authorities to issue warnings to the population and even ban the consumption of alcoholic beverages in public. The ban began this Friday (26).
Paris police chief Patrice Fature spoke in an interview with BGM TV about the decision. “As you know, drinking alcohol in the hot sun can have a devastating effect,” he said. He added that there will also be a ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages from Friday night in Paris.
Heat wave causes serious problems
The Ministry of Health released data on cardiac arrests in the French capital, which reached 25 in a single day – much higher than the average of 10. French firefighters also reported a 100% increase in the number of visits and the city’s hospitals reported an overload of patients due to the heat.
The extreme heat has already begun to affect infrastructure. The rail network’s tracks overheated and expanded, forcing speed reductions and the cancellation of more than 70 trips until next Monday. Meanwhile, attractions such as the Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower have had changes to their opening hours.
The high temperature also caused the postponement of the LGBTQ+ Pride Parade, initially scheduled to take place this Saturday.
