Much of France remains under severe heat alert on June 23 after the country experienced its hottest afternoon and night since records began in 1947. Temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius were forecast for cities including Bordeaux, Rennes and Toulouse. The extreme heat has already proven deadly – two children were found dead inside a parked car on June 22, while 40 people have drowned over the past few days as they sought to cool off.