Europe Heatwave Causes Over 10,000 Excess Deaths, Mostly Among Elderly

Europe experienced a deadly heatwave at the end of June, resulting in over 10,000 excess deaths across 27 countries, according to data released by EuroMOMO, a mortality monitoring network supported by the World Health Organization. The heatwave broke temperature records in several countries including France, Spain, the UK, and Belgium, with France and Belgium reporting the highest excess mortality.

The majority of these deaths, more than 9,000, occurred among people aged 65 and older. Experts attribute the surge in mortality primarily to the extreme heat, which can cause heatstroke and exacerbate cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, especially in vulnerable elderly populations. Lars Vestergaard, a specialist at the Danish institute hosting EuroMOMO, described the level of excess deaths as unusually high for this time of year and difficult to explain by any factor other than the heatwave.

The data covers the week of June 22 to June 28, when the heatwave peaked, and no other unusual mortality causes were identified during that period. The extreme temperatures also disrupted electricity supplies and led to school closures in affected countries. This heatwave underscores the severe human cost of rising temperatures in Europe during summer months.