Europe has recorded at least 35,000 excess deaths during four heatwaves this summer.
The latest figures were released by Germany’s national public health agency, Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
According to RKI’s provisional figures, the excess deaths in three of Europe’s populated countries – Germany, France, and Spain – alone exceeded 25,000.
Though the experts have warned that once the August numbers arrive, it would bring the numbers significantly high.
This summer, western Europe has smashed all-time record temperatures across hundreds of weather stations.
France alone has witnessed its hottest national average day on record.
Scientists pointed the record-breaking excess deaths to human-made global heating, causing such extreme weather patterns to happen more often.
This summer, Germany recorded the highest death toll, and last week’s reported data highlights an estimated 14,000 heat-related deaths from April 6 to August 9, 2026.
The agency claimed 9,600 people had died in the week of June 22-28 alone.
As per the well-maintained EU data related to excess deaths since 2008, the only other summer week in which record deaths were reported was in July 2022.
Germany’s national health agency also highlights that excess deaths during normal summers are usually recorded at fewer than 2,000.
Given the data, this summer has by all means turned out to be the worst for heat-related deaths in Europe’s most populous country, since records began.
The previous record was 8,900 deaths in 2018.
2026-08-27 17:17:00
