Two children, aged 2 and 4, were found dead inside a family car in Carpentras, southern France, on Monday afternoon as a severe heatwave gripped much of the country. Local prosecutor Hélène Mourges said the heatwave is the principal line of investigation, though the exact cause of death has yet to be determined. Firefighters discovered the siblings in cardiac arrest after an emergency call around 13:20, and resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful. The mother, who is receiving medical care, has not yet been questioned. Separately, three elderly people, aged between 80 and 95, died in their homes in the Bordeaux region over the weekend from heat-related health complications, according to local official Sophie Brocas. French civil protection authorities also confirmed that at least 13 people drowned between Saturday and Monday morning as residents sought relief in rivers and lakes.

Météo-France placed 49 of the country’s 96 mainland departments under a red alert, the highest warning level, with temperatures forecast to reach 43°C in Bordeaux and 39°C in Paris. The national weather service described the heat as exceptional and comparable in intensity to the deadly 2003 heatwave, though its duration remains uncertain. The education ministry reported that 845 schools were closed on Monday and another 1,800 adjusted their hours. The state railway operator SNCF cancelled dozens of intercity trains and advised vulnerable passengers to postpone travel, citing risks of track deformation and damage to overhead lines. The government banned public alcohol consumption in red-alert departments, and Paris authorities kept parks open overnight.

The heatwave extended across western Europe. The United Kingdom’s Met Office issued a rare red warning for extreme heat in parts of England and Wales for Wednesday and Thursday, with temperatures expected to reach 38–40°C. Spain’s Aemet agency declared a red alert for the Basque Country, where San Sebastián was forecast to hit 40°C, nearly double the seasonal average. Belgium’s meteorological institute warned that the coming week could be the hottest ever recorded, and the national rail company SNCB cancelled some peak-hour services. In Germany, police said five people died in swimming accidents over the weekend. Wildlife rescue centres in Belgium reported a surge in animals affected by heat, with roof-nesting birds jumping from nests to escape temperatures that can exceed 50°C on rooftops.

Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of such heatwaves to human-driven climate change. Europe is warming at roughly twice the global average rate, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The World Health Organization’s Europe office has noted that more than 200,000 heat-related deaths occurred across the continent over the past four years. In Carpentras, investigators are still working to establish how the two children entered the vehicle and how long they remained inside. The prosecutor’s office has opened an inquiry, and the mother has not yet been able to give a statement. The provisional death toll from the current heatwave remains subject to update as emergency services continue to respond.