Mortuaries in Paris and surrounding areas are at capacity following a record-breaking heat wave that has led to a significant increase in deaths across France. Funeral directors report being overwhelmed with calls and facing difficulties finding adequate space to store the deceased.
Zouhaeir Hertelli, a mortuary owner, described the situation as "catastrophic," with all 32 places in his cold room taken. He stated he is receiving hundreds of calls daily from families inquiring about space. "We're really full, full, full," he said, noting that most of the deceased are older individuals who died at home.
Public Health France reported a substantial surge in deaths during the peak of the heat wave last week. On Wednesday, the hottest day on record for France, there were over 1,200 deaths. This number rose to more than 1,400 on Thursday and another 1,400 on Friday. In comparison, the daily death rate in April and May averaged between 900 and 1,000.
The agency cautioned that its preliminary estimate of at least 1,000 additional deaths over those three days is likely to increase as more death certificates are processed, particularly for individuals who died at home or in care facilities. Preliminary data indicates that 85% of the registered deaths during this period involved individuals aged 65 and above, with a notable increase in deaths occurring at home, especially in the Paris region.
To address the storage shortage, City Hall has installed two temporary cold storage units, each with 20 places, and city hospitals have provided an additional 50 spaces. However, funeral directors have reported having to transport bodies as far as Chartres, approximately 50 miles from Paris, and other regions around the capital.
Hertelli has requested permission to install refrigerated containers outside his mortuary, located near Paris' Orly airport, but is awaiting approval. He expressed empathy for the grieving families, stating, "Families are suffering. We have no solution to offer them, because the funeral homes are full."
This situation echoes the severe heat wave of 2003, which surpassed current temperature records and was linked to approximately 15,000 deaths, prompting a national reevaluation of elder care. More than 5,700 deaths were also attributed to heat during a hot summer last year. Funeral director Véronique Bertrand voiced concerns that lessons from past events may have been forgotten, emphasizing the need for community solidarity and checking on vulnerable, isolated individuals.