Europe's early heat wave led to rise in deaths, may have killed over 10,000
An early and intense heat wave in Europe during June 2026 is linked to over 10,000 excess deaths across the continent. Researchers attribute the spike in mortality to extreme temperatures, noting that climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of such events.
Why it matters
The data highlights the growing public health crisis caused by climate change and the difficulty in accurately tracking heat-related mortality.
Heat that hit Europe exceptionally early and hard this year appears to have led to a spike in deaths, with well over 10,000 more people dying at the height of the heat wave than would normally have been expected, according to figures that are still emerging across the continent.
Measures of what researchers call “excess mortality” — the difference between the normally expected number of deaths and the actual number — spiked in late June, when parts of Europe experienced record temperatures . Experts caution that it takes a while for a full picture to emerge, and that many heat-related deaths will never formally be recorded as such. For example, a heart attack, which can be triggered by extreme heat exposure, especially in people who are older or have underlying health issues, may be listed on a death certificate simply as a heart attack.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in