Europe heatwave kills 1,300, sets temperature records

A severe heatwave sweeping eastward across Europe has caused an estimated 1,300 excess deaths since 21 June, according to the World Health Organization. Record‑high temperatures were recorded in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, while Sweden’s Skåne region saw unprecedented highs – Osby reached 36.8 °C, Lund 36.3 °C and Malmö 35.1 °C. The extreme heat has been linked by scientists to climate change, with the World Weather Attribution network confirming human‑driven warming as a key factor.

In Sweden, a lightning strike at Tosselilla Sommarland in Skåne injured several visitors, leaving a 45‑year‑old woman in serious condition and causing minor injuries to nine others. The incident occurred amid the broader heat event, which also prompted thunderstorms in Denmark and other parts of the region. Authorities emphasized that vulnerable groups, particularly the elderly, are most at risk during such prolonged temperature spikes.