Record Heat Wave Kills Over 5,600 Across Europe
A record heat wave has killed over 5,600 people across Europe, with France accounting for more than 2,000 deaths in a single week as the continent experiences temperatures warming twice as fast as the global average.
Europe is reeling from a record-breaking heat wave that has claimed at least 5,606 lives across the continent. France's Health Minister Stéphanie Risset reported 2,025 deaths during the week of June 22-28, a 29 percent increase from the previous week and a 62 percent spike in the Île-de-France region covering Paris and its suburbs. Deaths have been particularly severe among those over 45 years old, with Interior Minister Laurent Nunez noting that drowning deaths have also surged, with at least 72 recorded since June 18. Beyond France, Belgium recorded a historic 1,222 heat-related deaths—39 percent above normal with nearly half among those 85 and older—while Spain recorded 1,029 deaths, Germany 810, the Netherlands 480, and smaller tolls in the UK, Poland, Italy, and Romania. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average, making it the fastest-warming continent and driving increasingly severe heat waves, wildfires, and water shortages.
