June heatwave kills over 10,000 in Western Europe

A historic and deadly heatwave across Western Europe last month has been linked to more than 10,000 excess deaths, according to mortality data from a network of European health agencies. The extreme temperatures, which shattered national records, have underscored the severe and immediate human cost of climate change and exposed vulnerabilities in the continent's infrastructure and preparedness.

The period from June 22 to June 28 marked the peak of the heatwave, with Western Europe experiencing its hottest June on record. Germany broke its national temperature record three days in a row, reaching a new high of 41.7 degrees Celsius (107 degrees Fahrenheit). France recorded its hottest day ever at 43.8 degrees Celsius (110.8 degrees Fahrenheit), while parts of Spain also saw temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Data from the European mortality monitoring network EuroMOMO, which covers 27 countries, showed 10,650 more deaths than typically expected during that late June period. Researchers stated there were no other major factors, such as a COVID-19 outbreak, to explain the spike.

The vast majority of the victims were elderly. More than 9,000 of the...