WHO: Over 1,300 excess deaths in Europe due to heatwave

Europe is grappling with a deadly heatwave, which has caused more than 1,300 excess deaths across the continent since June 21, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Millions of people endured extreme temperatures over the weekend as the heatwave shifted eastward.

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More than 1,300 additional deaths associated with high temperatures have been recorded in Europe since June 21.

French health officials reported approximately a thousand more deaths than expected in the country since Wednesday. The WHO's Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated that "heat stress is often called a 'silent killer' – and European homes, workplaces, and schools were not built for these temperatures." He noted that hundreds have died as millions live in extreme heat, leading to school closures and power grid failures.

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Heat stress is often called a 'silent killer' – and European homes, workplaces, and schools were not built for these temperatures.

Analysis indicates that by Sunday, at least 191 million people in Europe were exposed to temperatures above 35°C (95°F), with Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland experiencing particularly high readings. An additional 381 million people across Europe, excluding Turkey, faced temperatures exceeding 30°C (86°F).

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Due to climate change and global warming, a 'once-in-a-generation' heatwave event is now occurring almost every year.

Ghebreyesus warned that heatwaves of a "once-in-a-generation" magnitude are now occurring almost annually due to climate change and global warming. He highlighted that Europe is the fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global average rate. The WHO urged European nations to implement heat-health action plans to protect public health amid escalating climate change impacts.

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Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating up twice as fast as the global average.