Heat wave leaves mounting death toll across Europe

Although not every European country has published an official death toll from the past month’s scorching temperatures, the June heat wave is estimated to have left thousands of people dead across the continent.

On Sunday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, said on US social media platform X that high temperatures had caused more than 1,300 excess deaths across Europe since June 21.

Given that nine days have passed since that announcement, during which additional deaths were reported, and that the figure was not intended as a final continent-wide total, compiled reports from European countries indicate that the number has risen significantly above 1,300.

In Spain, the Health Ministry’s daily mortality monitoring system said on Wednesday that 1,028 deaths in June were attributable to high temperatures, surpassing the previous June record of 1,000 deaths set in 2017.

France’s public health agency said on Sunday that about 1,000 more deaths than in previous months had been recorded, adding that the preliminary toll was likely to increase.

The agency said that more than 1,200 deaths from all causes were recorded on June 24, while more than 1,400 deaths were recorded on both June 25 and June 26, according to broadcaster BFMTV.

“By comparison, around 900 to 1,000 deaths per day were recorded in April and May,” the agency noted.

For Italy, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Henri Kluge said on Tuesday that five people had died within 24 hours due to the extreme heat.

Adding those deaths to at least five others reported last week, Italy’s heat-related death toll is estimated to have exceeded 10.

Belgium has not yet issued an official national figure, but broadcaster RTL reported on Monday that funeral homes had seen a noticeable increase in deaths.

Broadcaster RTBF reported over the weekend that around 22 deaths were recorded in the city of Liege during the heat wave, although authorities did not specify whether all were directly linked to the high temperatures.

In Germany, public broadcaster Tagesschau reported on Wednesday that roughly four times more deaths than normal were recorded over the heat-stricken weekend.

In Cologne, 120 deaths were reported. The Mettmann district recorded 45 deaths, while the city of Leverkusen announced 19 deaths.

Separately, the German Life Saving Association said at least 26 people drowned while swimming over the weekend, according to daily Die Welt.

In Romania, a violent storm that struck amid the high temperatures killed one person after a tree fell onto the car he was in, according to broadcaster Digi24.