Why record heat in France is causing so many people to drown
At least forty people have lost their lives to drowning in France since last week, in incidents directly related to the intense heat wave that is ravaging the continent. Record temperatures were observed in several European nations, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Spain and Italy.
Seeking relief from the scorching heat, many citizens of these countries have turned to rivers and canals to cool off.
French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari expressed understanding for the need to escape the high temperatures, but made an urgent appeal for the public to recognize the serious dangers of swimming in unauthorized places or without adequate supervision.
“It is an issue that must be treated with the utmost seriousness: swimming in areas without any type of surveillance during a period of intense heat,” warned Ferrari.
Among the tragic cases, a 13-year-old teenager drowned in the River Seine, in Fontaine-La-Port, last Sunday night, after entering the water with her family, even without knowing how to swim.
A young professional football athlete is in serious condition after being pulled from the River Rhône, in a park near Lyon. Emergency teams were called to rescue four other young people who were facing difficulties in a stretch of the river where bathing is expressly prohibited.
In Germany, where the weather forecast points to temperatures of up to 40°C in the west and southwest in the coming days, there were also several deaths due to drowning.
The German Water Rescue Association (DLRG) revealed that six fatal incidents involving swimmers were recorded between Friday and Sunday, emphasizing that men, in particular, tend to overestimate their capabilities in the water.
Three bodies were located in the River Rhine, near the southwestern city of Biblis, days after three men aged 23, 27 and 50 were reported missing on two separate stretches of the same river.
A previous heatwave, recorded in the UK late last month, resulted in the deaths of nine people in incidents at lakes and rivers.
Currently, more than half of France’s regions are under the maximum meteorological alert level, which has led to the closure of hundreds of schools as a preventative measure.
The climate phenomenon responsible for this drastic rise in temperature is a “heat dome”: a mass of hot air coming from the Sahara that moves north and remains stationary over Europe, trapping the hot air inside.
The factors behind drownings during extreme heat
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), a British organization dedicated to water rescue, issued a warning this week, asking people to take extra precautions when entering the water during the period of intense heat that the country is going through.
RNLI expert Steve Cavallo explained that most drownings occur because many people do not have the experience needed to swim in open water.
“It’s regrettable, but as we don’t live in a country accustomed to excessive heat, the temptation to dive into any body of water, whether on the coast, rivers or inland lakes, arises as soon as the temperature rises,” he said.
“We record these types of incidents annually and are committed to raising awareness to prevent them from happening again.”
Cavallo added that many reservoirs and lakes, especially those located in former industrial areas like quarries, can hide underwater hazards capable of trapping swimmers.
“It’s impossible to predict what objects might be hidden beneath the surface. Unfortunately, people discard items into rivers and lakes that shouldn’t be there. It’s easy to end up getting tangled up in this type of material.”
Another serious problem is the thermal shock that sudden contact with cold water can cause.
Ashley Jones, a water safety and education specialist at the Royal Life Saving Society, a British organization focused on preventing drowning, detailed why diving into an icy lake can be fatal, regardless of how inviting it looks to cool off.
“Even though the air heats up and heats up very quickly with the heat wave, the water temperature does not rise at the same rate. Therefore, it is crucial to enter the water gradually,” he warned.
“When running, jumping or diving, the initial reaction is an abrupt and involuntary inhalation. This sudden and intense intake of air becomes extremely dangerous if there is water around. If you are in the water and have this reaction, it can precipitate the drowning process.”
The next step after this initial reaction is a sharp increase in heart rate, as Jones explained.
“Our pulse rate and breathing speed up. This can trigger panic; and if we panic while trying to stay in the water, the combination of these factors can cause us to inhale water and start drowning,” he said.
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Most accidental drownings happen in inland waters rather than coastal areas, according to Georgia Beardmore of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
“There are countless types of places with inland water, and each one presents very specific risks,” she commented.
“In places like reservoirs, canals and lakes formed in old quarries, there is a lot of equipment and man-made structures that may be hidden beneath the surface. Additionally, these locations may be more isolated than beaches.”
“A common danger to all open water areas, whether inland or offshore, and especially at this time of year, is extremely cold water,” he added.
Beardmore stressed that this is a trend that surprises many people.
“Everyone tends to think about the dangers of the sea. They don’t always consider the risks in open waters,” she noted.
The RNLI’s Cavallo believes a lack of awareness and experience is one of the main reasons for the higher number of deaths in inland waters.
“People who live inland don’t grow up with the same familiarity with water as people who live on the coast,” he said.
“We have teams dedicated to education and water safety who visit schools, colleges and water sports clubs to spread this message across all age groups and the sooner we start, the better, as the behavior integrates more naturally.”
An additional risk factor arises when other people attempt to perform a rescue.
During the May heatwave, a man aged approximately 60 suffered a cardiac arrest on Tregirls beach, in southwest England, after entering the sea to help two family members who were later taken to safety by other individuals.
“Often, those who attempt a rescue end up needing to be rescued as well,” warned Cavallo.
For many, instinct leads to jumping into the water to help, especially if the person in trouble is a loved one, but “you have no way of knowing why that person is in trouble,” Beardmore explained.
“There’s no way to predict the dangers there, and if someone else gets into the water, it could put a number of people at risk,” she said.
Essential guidelines for dealing with water hazards
Andrew Black, a volunteer at York Rescue Boat, indicated that the best approach is to use a technique known as “reach and throw”, i.e. throwing something that the person in distress can grab.
“If there is nothing readily available, you can look for a branch; any object will do. You can even tie some towels together to try and reach the person,” Black suggested.
“However, the most crucial thing is to try to remain calm, as this will help the person in the water to calm down too, encouraging them to float, keep their head down and remain calm while waiting for help to arrive.”
Beardmore advised that anyone who accidentally falls into the water should try to stay afloat and activate emergency equipment.
“Float on your back with your ears submerged, control your breathing, try to calm down and move your arms and legs if that helps you stay on the surface.
“Don’t worry if your legs sink; how you float varies for each individual. Once you regain control of your breathing, you will be able to scream for help or swim to safety.”
Tilt your head back and try to remain calm for as long as possible, recommends Black.
“Of course, it’s easy to say and very difficult to put into practice, but try to relax and slow down your breathing; this will help regulate your heartbeat and give your body the opportunity to adapt to the cold water.”
“And then if you can stay calm enough you should be able to start slowly moving your arms and legs and maybe swim to shore or at least call for help.”
