France places 54 departments on maximum heatwave alert starting Tuesday

France has issued a maximum heatwave alert for 54 departments, marking the first time such a high number of regions have been under red vigilance since the national meteorological alert system began approximately two decades ago. The meteorological institute reports "exceptionally high temperatures, day and night," in these departments, with the alert now extended to Calvados, Eure, Manche, Seine-Maritime, and Somme. Sunday night into Monday saw unusually warm temperatures, including 27.9 °C in Montembœuf and 26.4 °C in Château-d'Olonne. In Vaucluse, two children, aged 2 and 4, were found dead in their family's car in a residential parking lot on Monday afternoon. The Carpentras prosecutor, Hélène Mourges, stated that while the exact cause of death is being determined, the heatwave is the primary suspected factor. Police indicated that the children, found in cardiac arrest, may have entered the car and become trapped. This heatwave, following an earlier one in May, is described as "exceptional, similar to August 2003," which resulted in nearly 15,000 deaths in France. Additionally, at least 13 people drowned over the weekend, and three elderly individuals died at home in Gironde on Sunday due to the intense heat.