France has recorded over 2,000 deaths linked to last month’s extreme heatwave as Europe prepares for further high temperatures across the continent in the coming days.

France’s Minister of Health Stephanie Rist said the extreme heat temperatures have seen a 29 per cent increase of 2,025 deaths between June 22 and June 28.

Mrs Rist added that the figures remain preliminary as death registrations were still incomplete. 

France public Health authority reports that the current figure of deaths is over 8,000, marking an increase of 2,000 deaths from the previous figure of  6,948 deaths from June 15 to June 21.

Over 72 people have also lost their lives to drowning as people try to cool off the hot weather.

The situation has placed heavy pressure on health and emergency services, with health authorities confirming that the majority of the victims are older individuals and children.

France’s Meteorological agency, Meteo France, is also making efforts to monitor high temperatures across the country, placing red alerts for Friday and Saturday. 

The heatwave has led to the evacuation of people from wildfires by authorities in the southern region of the country.

The death toll is feared to approach the country’s devastating previous heatwave in 2003 which claimed 15,000 lives. 

The extreme heat has also affected several parts of Europe, including Germany, Spain, the UK, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands, with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius.