Over 2,700 may have died due to heatwaves in England: researchers
A study by Imperial College London and other institutions estimates that over 2,700 people died in England and Wales due to heatwaves in May and June 2026. Researchers attribute 42% of these deaths to human-induced climate change.
Why it matters
The findings highlight the growing public health crisis caused by extreme weather events and the direct impact of climate change on mortality rates.
At least 2,700 people could have died in England and Wales as a result of heatwaves that struck in May and June, according to a study released on Monday (July 13, 2026).
Experts from Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine used weather data, climate models and studies on excess mortality during heatwaves to arrive at their estimate.
“More than 2,700 people are thought to have died from heat-related causes during the May and June heatwaves in England and Wales,” a statement said.
“Of those, it’s estimated that 42% died as a result of the extra heat caused by human-induced warming,” it added.
The U.K. and most of Europe experienced two unprecedented heatwaves in May and June, with monthly records set at 35.1°C and 37.7°C, respectively, in England.
Europe recorded 10,000 excess deaths during late-June heatwave, data show
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