France is experiencing unusually high temperatures, with weather officials confirming record-breaking heat for May in several parts of the country as a heatwave spread across regions on Monday.
According to Meteo France, at least 10 locations recorded their hottest May temperatures ever over the weekend, including the northwestern coastal towns of Lorient and Noirmoutier.
In the city of Rennes, residents sought shelter from rising temperatures that reached 27C on Monday morning. Authorities placed parts of the Brittany region under a yellow heatwave alert for a second consecutive day, urging people to take precautions.
A spokeswoman for Meteo France said the alert issued on Sunday marked the first yellow heatwave warning ever declared in May since the system was introduced in 2004.
Paris also experienced soaring temperatures, recording its first reading above 30C this year after the mercury climbed to 31.9C on Saturday.
The intense heat has already raised health concerns. Emergency services confirmed that a man died during a 10-kilometre race in Paris on Sunday. French newspaper Le Parisien reported that the 53-year-old participant suffered a heart attack.
Authorities also said 10 other runners were taken to hospital in critical condition following a race in the Paris suburb of Maisons-Alfort.
Many residents adjusted their routines to cope with the heat. Rennes resident Bernard Siffert, 66, said he changed the timing of his daily run to avoid higher temperatures later in the morning.
Scientists have repeatedly warned that recurring heatwaves are a major sign of global warming, with extreme temperatures expected to become more frequent, longer-lasting and more intense in the coming years.
