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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Environment & Climate

Europe heat wave causes over 1,300 excess deaths, WHO reports

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Europe's recent record-breaking heatwave has caused over 1,300 excess deaths since June 21, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
  • Extreme temperatures have shattered national records across the continent, straining power grids and leading to school closures.
  • Scientists attribute the heatwave's intensity and frequency to human-induced climate change, making such events up to 200 times more likely than two decades ago.

Europe is grappling with the deadly consequences of its record-breaking heatwave, with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting more than 1,300 excess deaths since June 21. Extreme temperatures have continued to shatter national records across the continent over the weekend, impacting millions of lives.

Europe's record-breaking heat wave has claimed more than 1,300 excess deaths since June 21, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), as extreme temperatures continued to shatter national records across the continent over the weekend.

— WHOReporting the death toll attributed to the heatwave.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted that approximately 150 million people in Europe are living under extreme heat conditions. This has led to widespread school closures and placed immense strain on power grids. Tedros described heat stress as a "silent killer," noting that many buildings in Europe are ill-equipped to handle such prolonged high temperatures.

around 150 million people across Europe are living under extreme heat, with schools closed and power grids coming under increasing strain.

— Tedros Adhanom GhebreyesusDescribing the widespread impact of the heatwave.

Germany, France, the Czech Republic, and Poland have all reported unprecedented temperature highs. Germany's DWD recorded a provisional 41.7 degrees Celsius in Brandenburg on Sunday, surpassing previous daily records. France alone reported at least 1,000 more deaths than average during the heatwave period. The Czech Republic saw its highest-ever recorded temperature at 41.9 degrees Celsius in Doksany.

heat stress as a 'silent killer,' warning that homes, workplaces, and schools across Europe were not designed to withstand such prolonged high temperatures.

— Tedros Adhanom GhebreyesusCharacterizing the danger of extreme heat.

Scientists have linked the escalating intensity and frequency of these extreme heat events to human-induced climate change. A rapid scientific assessment concluded that the current European heatwave would have been "virtually impossible" without human influence, with such events now up to 200 times more likely than they were just two decades ago. The WHO is working with member states to enhance preparedness and public health responses, including national heat-health action plans.

the ongoing European heat wave would have been 'virtually impossible' without human-induced climate change.

— Scientific assessmentAttributing the heatwave's severity to climate change.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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