Late June heatwave kills more than 10,000 in Europe; scientists blame human-caused climate change

More than 10,000 deaths were recorded across Europe during a record-breaking heat wave that swept across the continent’s western regions in late June, official mortality data cited by Reuters showed.Figures released by EuroMOMO, a mortality monitoring network backed by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), show that the heat wave peaked in France, Spain, the United Kingdom and several other countries in the week of June 22 to June 28, with 10,650 excess deaths.Among them, more than 9,000 people aged 65 and above died, highlighting the serious impact of extreme heat on the elderly population.Scientists said the heat wave in late June would have been “almost impossible” without human-caused climate change, which has made heat waves more frequent, intense and longer-lasting, the agency reported.Extreme heat can be fatal by triggering heatstroke or worsening existing cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and older people remain the most vulnerable.EuroMOMO’s data is based on national mortality statistics from 27 European countries and measures excess deaths from all causes, not just those officially classified as heat-related.Researchers say no other major factor, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, can explain this week’s sharp rise in deaths. The agency noted that these numbers may be revised as more data becomes available.While EuroMOMO does not release excess death data by country, it said France and Belgium were the only countries to record “very high excess death rates” in the last week of June.Belgium’s public health institute Sciensano said the country recorded its highest excess mortality during the heat wave since records began in 2000.The heatwave disrupted daily life across Europe, causing power outages, school closures and record-breaking temperatures in countries including France, Spain and the United Kingdom.Another scientific study published on Monday estimated that around 2,700 people died from heat-related causes in England and Wales during the heatwave in May and June.Researchers from Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that 42% of deaths were attributable to the extra heat caused by climate change.There have also been an estimated 5,120 heat-related deaths in Germany so far this year, most of them during an intense heat wave in late June, according to the country’s public health agency.Extreme weather has also led to a sharp rise in drownings. According to the Guardian, 99 people drowned in June, the highest monthly drowning toll in the country in more than two decades.During the heat wave, temperatures climbed to 41.7°C (107.1°F) in parts of Germany, prompting large numbers of people to seek relief in lakes, rivers and other bodies of water.Officials said most of the victims were young men, with 40 of the victims under 30 years old. According to the German Lifesaving Federation, more than 90% of those who died were men.Scientists have repeatedly warned that climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme heat events, making heat waves one of the deadliest weather-related hazards globally.