Europe heatwave kills over 10,000 people, WHO warns of rising health risks

Data from five European countries show that the late‑June heatwave caused nearly 10,000 excess deaths across the continent, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) European Regional Office. WHO officials say Europe is heating up twice as fast as the global average, and that extreme temperatures have already claimed more than 200,000 lives in the region over the past four years, with heat‑related mortality rising 30% in the last two decades.

WHO regional director Hans Henri Kluge warned, "The summer is not over," and urged governments and citizens to adopt early‑warning systems, develop cooler cities, improve access to water and shade, and protect vulnerable groups. The agency has released a set of public‑health tools, including Heat‑Health Action Plans, guidance for heat and wildfire response, and a “bank” of messages to help people stay safe.

Separately, national statistics from Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Luxembourg report about 12,000 excess deaths, with the UK Met Office adding roughly 2,200. EuroMOMO’s provisional data indicate 14,260 excess deaths in the week of 22‑28 June. Scientists link the lethal heatwave directly to climate change, calling it a recurring climate‑crisis event.