European nations recorded more than 10,000 excess deaths during the intense heatwave that struck western parts of the continent in late June, according to official figures. Over 9,000 of these occurred among individuals aged 65 and older, based on information from EuroMOMO, a network supported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization. Extreme heat leads to fatalities through heat stroke and by worsening heart and lung conditions, with older adults facing the greatest risks. Officials described the unusual spike in mortality at this time of year as notably elevated and attributed it primarily to the severe temperatures. Researchers indicated the late-June heatwave would likely not have occurred without human-driven climate change, which increases the frequency and strength of such events. The statistics, drawn from 27 countries, covered all causes of death during the week of June 22 to 28, when temperatures peaked in France, Spain, Britain and elsewhere. No other major factors like disease outbreaks were identified as contributing to the total of 10,650 excess deaths that week. Prior weeks had shown mortality below average levels. The heatwave caused power outages, school closures and record temperatures across multiple nations. France and Belgium showed particularly high excess mortality, with Belgium experiencing its highest levels during any heatwave since 2000. A separate analysis estimated 2,700 heat-related deaths in England and Wales during May and June, with 42 percent linked to warming from climate change.
