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Western Europe Heatwave Caused at Least 14,000 Deaths, Report Says
🇷🇸 Serbia /Disasters & Emergencies

Western Europe Heatwave Caused at Least 14,000 Deaths, Report Says

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • A recent heatwave in Western Europe from June 18 to July 1 caused at least 14,000 deaths, making it one of the continent's deadliest climate disasters.
  • Scientists link the extreme temperatures, which broke records in several countries, to climate change driven by fossil fuel combustion.
  • Data from 27 EuroMOMO member countries reported 10,650 additional deaths between June 22-28, likely linked to the heat.

A record-breaking heatwave that gripped Western Europe from mid-June to early July has been linked to at least 14,000 deaths, positioning it as one of the most lethal climate-related disasters on the continent, according to reporting by Politico.

The intense heatwave, which persisted from approximately June 18 to July 1, shattered temperature records across multiple nations. Scientists emphasize that such extreme heat conditions would have been virtually impossible without the influence of climate change, which is primarily driven by the burning of fossil fuels.

It is very likely that these figures are primarily related to the heat.

— Lase Skafte VestergaardA representative from Denmark's Statens Serum Institut, commenting on the excess deaths reported by EuroMOMO.

Analysis of data by Politico indicates significant mortality rates in several countries: France reported around 2,000 deaths, Belgium 1,740, Germany 6,800, the Netherlands 480, Spain 810, and the United Kingdom 2,200.

Further data released by EuroMOMO, a mortality monitoring service supported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization, revealed an additional 10,650 excess deaths across its 27 member states between June 22 and June 28. These excess deaths represent an increase compared to average mortality levels and are used to rapidly assess the lethal impact of heatwaves. Lase Skafte Vestergaard of Denmark's Statens Serum Institut, which hosts EuroMOMO, stated that these figures are "very likely primarily related to the heat" and that "there are currently no other obvious explanations or public health threats in Europe that could explain this, and the numbers are really unusual."

There are currently no other obvious explanations or public health threats in Europe that could explain this, and the numbers are really unusual.

— Lase Skafte VestergaardA representative from Denmark's Statens Serum Institut, emphasizing the likely link between excess deaths and the heatwave.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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