Experts say true toll is likely higher as many deaths go unrecorded
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 cautioned that it takes time for a full picture to emerge, and that many heat-related deaths will never formally be recorded as such. A heart attack triggered by extreme heat exposure, particularly in older people or those with underlying health issues, may be listed on a death certificate simply as a heart attack, according to the Associated Press.
The toll represents a significant escalation from earlier estimates. MSI previously reported that the World Health Organization linked more than 1,300 excess deaths to the heat wave as of June 29, while France’s Health Ministry separately reported about 1,000 additional deaths around the same time. The latest figure of over 10,000 reflects broader mortality data now becoming available from additional countries across the continent.
Several heat waves have killed thousands of people in Europe in recent years. The 2003 heat wave remains the deadliest on record for the continent, with about 70,000 excess deaths.
The frequency and intensity of heat waves are supercharged by climate change, which comes from the burning of fuels like coal, oil and gas, scientists said.