France is beginning to assess the devastating human toll of its record-breaking heatwave, as funeral homes, hospitals and public health officials struggle to cope with a sharp rise in deaths linked to the prolonged period of extreme temperatures.

For funeral director Zouhaeir Hertelli, the crisis has become painfully clear. His phone rings constantly with calls from funeral homes and grieving families searching for space to store the deceased.

With all 32 places in his mortuary’s refrigerated storage filled, Hertelli says he is forced to repeatedly turn people away.

“We’re facing a really catastrophic situation,” he said. “I’m getting hundreds of calls.”

The unprecedented demand reflects the growing strain placed on France’s funeral services as the country confronts the aftermath of one of its most intense heatwaves on record.

While the extreme temperatures have since shifted eastward across Europe, French authorities are continuing to calculate the number of lives lost.

Officials caution that determining the full impact of the heatwave could take weeks or even months, as death certificates continue to be processed and verified.

Early evidence, however, suggests the crisis has been particularly deadly for elderly people, many of whom died in their homes or residential care facilities.

“We’re dealing with an enormous spike in deaths because of the heatwave, and we’re really full, full, full,” Hertelli said.

According to Public Health France, mortality rose sharply during the peak of the heatwave last week, when temperatures climbed above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) across large parts of the country.

The extreme daytime heat was compounded by record-breaking nighttime temperatures, leaving little opportunity for vulnerable people to recover from prolonged exposure.

France recorded more than 1,200 deaths last Wednesday—the country’s hottest day on record—surpassing the previous national temperature record set just one day earlier.

The number of daily deaths rose even further on Thursday and Friday, exceeding 1,400 each day.

By comparison, France typically recorded between 900 and 1,000 deaths per day during April and May.

Public Health France estimates that at least 1,000 excess deaths occurred during the three most intense days of the heatwave alone.

However, officials stress that the figure remains preliminary and is expected to rise as additional death certificates are received, particularly from private homes and elderly care facilities where reporting often takes longer because many records are still processed manually.

The heatwave has renewed concerns about France’s ability to protect vulnerable populations during periods of extreme weather, particularly older adults who remain at the highest risk of heat-related illness and death.

Authorities continue to urge residents to remain vigilant as scientists warn that climate change is making severe heatwaves more frequent and more intense across Europe.