Europe’s unprecedented early summer heatwave has been linked to more than 1,300 excess deaths since 21 June, according to World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who described heat stress as a “silent killer.”
The extreme heat continued to sweep eastward on Sunday, shattering temperature records across several countries. Germany recorded its hottest day on record at 41.7°C in Coschen, while Poland reached an all-time high of 40.5°C in Slubice. The Czech Republic also set a new national record of 41.1°C in Doksany.
In France, health authorities reported around 1,000 excess deaths since Wednesday, with most fatalities occurring among people aged 65 and older. Officials also recorded a 40% increase in deaths at home.
Separately, at least 74 people have drowned since the heatwave began, largely in unsupervised rivers, lakes, and ponds, according to BBC.
Tedros warned that Europe is the fastest-warming continent, heating at twice the global average, and said climate change is making once-rare heatwaves an almost annual occurrence. He urged governments to strengthen heat-health action plans to protect vulnerable populations.
The severe weather has disrupted daily life across the continent. Authorities have cancelled public events, including the Dutch Defqon.1 music festival, while Paris temporarily banned public takeaway alcohol consumption and cancelled its Pride march to ease pressure on emergency services.
Meteorologists attributed the record-breaking temperatures to a “heat dome”, a weather pattern in which sinking air compresses, heats up, and suppresses cloud formation, allowing intense sunshine to drive temperatures even higher.
