13.07.2026 11:51
During the record heatwave that affected Europe between June 22-28, 10,650 excess deaths were recorded. According to EuroMOMO data, over 9,000 of the deceased were aged 65 and older. While experts noted that the main cause of the increase in fatalities was extreme heat, scientists stated that the heatwave highlighted the impacts of climate change.
According to data published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the EuroMOMO network supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), 10,650 excess deaths were recorded in Europe between June 22 and 28.
According to the data, more than 9,000 of the deaths occurred among people aged 65 and over. Experts noted that extreme heat not only causes heatstroke but also worsens heart and respiratory diseases, increasing the risk of death.
"NOTHING ELSE CAN EXPLAIN THIS BUT THE HEAT"
Lasse Vestergaard, Chief Physician at the Danish State Serum Institute, which runs EuroMOMO's studies, stated that such a high number of deaths at this time of year is unusual.
According to Reuters, Vestergaard said, "It is very difficult to explain such a high number of excess deaths by any other reason than the extreme heat."
FRANCE AND BELGIUM MOST AFFECTED
Although EuroMOMO did not share country-specific death tolls, it announced that France and Belgium were the two countries recording "very high excess deaths" in the last week of June.
Belgium's public health institute Sciensano reported that the excess death rate in the country reached its highest level among heatwaves since the year 2000.
2,700 PEOPLE DIED FROM HEAT IN ENGLAND
According to a separate scientific study published on Monday, approximately 2,700 people died from heat-related causes in England and Wales alone during the heatwaves of May and June.
The study, prepared by Imperial College London, the UK Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, stated that 42% of these deaths occurred because global warming made the heatwaves more severe.
CLIMATE CHANGE WARNING
Scientists emphasized that the record heatwave at the end of June would have been nearly impossible without human-induced climate change.
While it was noted that extreme heat caused power outages, school closures, and temperature records being broken in France, Spain, and England, experts warned that similar heatwaves could occur more frequently and with greater intensity in the future.