A tourist drinks a beer during at sunset on the ‘Benirras‘ beach in Ibiza August 14, 2003. Spain has seen a record heatwave this year, with temperatures often soaring above 40 degrees.

FOTO - REUTERS

PARIS - The heatwave in France has caused some 3,000 deaths, directly or indirectly, since late July, France‘s national health authority said. The authority, part of the health ministry, gave the estimate in a statement, which also described the surge in death rates since July 25 „an epidemic of heat-related deaths“. Despite cooler weather in the north on Thursday, hospitals struggled with a flood of mainly elderly people suffering from hyperthermia and dehydration. The strain was set to ease over the weekend. „I think we can now qualify what is happening as a genuine epidemic,“ Health Minister Jean-Francois Mattei told France Inter radio. Hospitals set up refrigerated tents to cope with the surge in casualties and the medical staff were called back from holidays to reinforce emergency services ahead of an extended holiday weekend. Undertakers prepared to work on Friday, a public holiday, to cope with the increased number of deaths. Reuters