France, July 2 -- France's Sport and Youth Minister Marina Ferrari said on Thursday the death toll had risen sharply since the latest extreme heatwave began, calling the figure "worrying" and urging families, young people and local authorities to stay alert.

"Since 19 June, we have recorded more than 90 drownings. This is a worrying figure," Ferrari told RMC television, updating the latest official count, which had stood at 74 deaths since 18 June.

The minister said the pattern appeared closely linked to the heatwave, with many people going to the water to cool down. She said the number of deaths had fallen in recent days but the risk remained high as the summer season gathered pace.

France's scorching weekend heat leads to elderly dea...