The latest data shows that during the record-breaking heatwave that swept through Western Europe in late June this year, over 10,000 excess deaths were recorded across multiple countries. Experts believe that the extreme high temperatures are the main contributing factor to the increase in mortality.
According to data released by the European Monitoring of Excess Mortality for Public Health Action (EuroMOMO), over 9,000 excess deaths occurred among individuals aged 65 and older, accounting for the vast majority.
This surge in mortality occurred mainly from June 22nd to the 28th when the heatwave peaked in countries such as France, Spain, the UK, and others.
EuroMOMO’s data shows that in the eight weeks leading up to this period, the total number of deaths in these countries was on average about 500 fewer per week than usual; however, during the peak of the heatwave, the excess deaths rose to 10,650.
Dr. Lasse Vestergaard, Chief Physician at the Statens Serum Institut in Denmark, which operates EuroMOMO, told Reuters, “To see so many excess deaths at this time of year is unusual. The numbers are really high.”
He added, “Apart from the extreme high temperatures, it’s hard to attribute such a high level of excess mortality to other factors.”
Scientists have mentioned that there were no other major factors such as a COVID-19 outbreak at that time that could explain the significant increase in deaths during that week.
Although EuroMOMO does not disclose individual country-specific excess death figures, its data and charts show that France and Belgium were the only two countries in Europe to record “very high excess” levels in the final week of June.
Sciensano, the Belgian Institute of Public Health, noted that the excess mortality level during the recent heatwave in Belgium was the highest recorded since 2000.
According to a separate estimation by the Robert Koch Institute in Germany, there have been approximately 5,120 deaths related to high temperatures so far this year, with the majority occurring in late June.
The institute stated that about 4,270 of the deceased were aged 75 and older, with more female deaths than male deaths, mainly due to a higher proportion of elderly women in the population.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has previously said, “Heat stress is often referred to as a ‘silent killer,’ and Europe’s residences, workplaces, and schools are not built for these temperature conditions.”
He pointed out that Europe is the fastest-warming continent globally, with the warming rate being approximately double the global average.
During the heatwave at the end of June, Germany, Czech Republic, and Poland each recorded temperatures of 41.7°C, 41.9°C, and 40.5°C respectively, breaking domestic historical temperature records.
Apart from potentially causing heatstroke, extreme high temperatures could worsen cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. Heatwaves also lead to disruptions in power supply and school closures, among other societal impacts.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez mentioned in a media interview on June 27th that since the start of the heatwave on June 18th, at least 74 people had died from drowning in France; most of the deaths occurred in unsupervised water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and ponds.
Scientists have stated that without human-induced climate change, the heatwave at the end of June would have been “virtually impossible”; climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and intense.
Due to climate change, heatwaves previously considered “once in a generation” events are now occurring almost annually.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union noted that June 2026 was the hottest June on record in Western Europe, with an average temperature of 20.74°C, surpassing the average from 1991 to 2020 by 3.06°C.
In response to the health risks posed by extreme high temperatures, the WHO is urging European countries to implement heat health action plans to strengthen preparedness, preventive measures, and healthcare system response.