Popular city bans public alcohol amid heat wave as people take risks to cool down

France has banned some public drinking and restricted outdoor events as a brutal heat wave bears down on Europe.

Authorities in France imposed alcohol restrictions in public spaces and at some major gatherings as temperatures climbed toward triple digits, as health experts warn that drinking in extreme heat can lead to dehydration and other health risks.

Paris ramped up precautions as the heat coincided with public celebrations, including the Fête de la Musique, with thousands of police and emergency workers deployed, per Reuters.

At least 40 people have drowned in France over the past five days as the country faces a severe heat wave, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said Tuesday during an emergency cabinet meeting.

Many of the victims were young people, including teenagers, who had been swimming in areas without lifeguard supervision.

Marina Ferrari, French minister of Sport, Youth and Community Life, said Tuesday in a French radio interview that most of the drownings happened in bodies of water such as lakes and canals.

"During heat waves like this," Ferrari said, "it's no small matter to go swimming in areas that aren't supervised."

The free swimming area opened June 17 and is staffed by lifeguards, according to Sortir à Paris.

Outside of designated swimming areas, officials have warned that the search for relief can become dangerous. 

In England, four teenagers drowned in lakes and reservoirs during a recent hot spell, prompting one grieving father to warn families about the dangers of children playing near rivers and lakes, per Channels Television.

French media reported that four children have drowned during the heat wave. In Germany, one man drowned and three others were reported missing after swimming in the Rhine River, AP reported.

At the Eiffel Tower and other popular Paris venues, misting stations were set up to help crowds cope, per AP.

In Rome, tourists dunked their arms and faces into the city's famous fountains, while visitors at Milan Fashion Week hid under parasols.