Heat Wave Kills About 3,000 in France

[Sequoia]

PARIS -- About 3,000 people have died in France of heat-related causes since abnormally high temperatures swept across the country about two weeks ago, the health ministry estimated Thursday.

It was the government's first official death toll estimate. One of the few organizations to issue an estimate, France's emergency hospital physicians' association, had earlier this week said the death toll was at least 100.

"We can now state what's happening to us is a veritable epidemic," Health Minister Jean-Francois Mattei said on France-Inter radio.

Over the past few days, various city and regional governments had issued death estimates in their areas. The national government said it was working to compile full, nationwide figures.

Morgues and funeral directors have reported skyrocketing demand for their services since the heat wave took hold. General Funeral Services, France's largest undertaker, said it handled some 3,230 deaths from Aug. 6-12, compared to 2,300 on an average week in the year -- a 37 percent jump.

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http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/ats-ap_top11aug14,1,112969.story?coll=la-ap-topnews-headlines

[AntiSmirk]

1. God's Retribution...

...for not wanting to invade Iraq. And more proof the French are weak.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sugus]

6. If we think like you, perhaps mental weakness is very close to us

In France there are 17 % more people over 75 years than in USA. Medicare and social proteccion isn´t a politic priority in United States. This could be the reason why weak and poor people die in United States younger, and they couldn´t wait for an extraordinary heat wave to kill them.

http://www3.who.int/whosis/hale/hale.cfm?language=english

Healthy life expectancy (years)

France
At birth males 71.3 years
females 73.5

United States of America
At birth males 67.6 years
females 68.8

Politic Priority for American People isn´t health, neither wellfare. Priority is fuel. Priority is to enrich weapons manufacters. Priority isn´t people. Priority is bombing cities full of people to invade where black gold is.

God Punishment hasn´t arrived to our stupid nazis.

[Pert_UK]

8. I think he was being ironic.....

At least I hope so.

P.

[SeattleDem]

2. incredibly misleading article title

ummm, the heatwave didn't kill all 3,000 people. If funeral services handled 3200 last week, compared to 2300 in an average week, it's safe to say the "baseline" death rate is around 2000/week, and the "increase" due to heat is 1000/week. Still amazing, but certainly not ALL the deaths in France this week were solely due to heat. People still have cancer, heart disease, car accidents....

[chiburb]

3. Maybe you're right, but...

The article says ONE (the largest) funeral service company handled 3200 vs a typical 2300 deaths. Maybe the other funeral homes handled enough to equal 3000? If so, it isn't misleading at all.
Anyway, 3000 heat-related deaths in France is NOT hard to concieve. Chicago recorded over 700 in a 2 week period several years ago, most among the elderly and those without air conditioning (like much of France).

[SeattleDem]

5. hmm, I'm reading too fast!

thanks, maybe the article is right afterall. It's just hard to imagine! thanks for pointing that out.

[Dirk39]

7. It's power outage the european way...

Just praise the blessings of privatization all over the globe. Let's destroy our infrastructure, let's not stop until the last shithouse on earth is privatized. Keep the state away from private affairs, and everything is private, except for democratic and human rights.
Greetings from Germany,
Dirk