France faces record drought as heat wave raises concerns

France is facing an "exceptional" and "very worrying" drought situation, with a record number of regions affected by water restrictions, the country's Ecological Transition Minister Monique Barbut said on Wednesday.

Speaking during a meeting of the ministry's crisis unit, Barbut said 99 departments across mainland France are currently under water restrictions, covering the entire metropolitan territory, according to broadcaster BFMTV.

Of those, 43 departments have reached the highest "crisis" alert level, where water use is limited to priority needs only.

A total of 206 prefectural decrees are currently in force, marking the highest level recorded since at least 2013, according to the minister.

Authorities are also increasing monitoring of soil conditions and waterways as the drought continues to affect large parts of the country.

Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said 16,500 air conditioning units will have been delivered to hospitals by the end of the week as France continues to deal with high temperatures.

Bregeon said 30,000 units had been ordered in total and that all deliveries were expected to be completed by the end of July.

She added that around 70% of the air conditioners already delivered had been sent to departments placed under the highest heat alert levels.

Europe, in general, is known for having fewer air conditioners than are expected to be needed in extreme heat, though this has become fodder for political debate in France.

Meanwhile, France's Sports Minister Marina Ferrari announced that 142 people have died by drowning since June 19, warning that the figure is significantly higher than last year.

She linked the increase to extreme heat, which has pushed more people to seek relief in rivers, lakes and coastal waters.

Although temperatures are gradually declining across France, many areas are still experiencing temperatures above 30C (86F).

Forecasters expect temperatures to reach 34C in Auxerre, 36C near Bourges, and up to 37C in the lower Rhone Valley around Valence.

Severe thunderstorms are expected later in the day, particularly along the eastern regions of the country, with strong electrical activity forecast.

France's Forest Weather Service has placed 36 departments on orange alert due to a "high" risk of forest fires.