The World Health Organization has reported that more than 1,300 excess deaths have occurred across Europe since June 21 as an intense heatwave continues to grip large parts of the continent.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described heat stress as a “silent killer,” warning that much of Europe’s infrastructure was not built to withstand the extreme temperatures now being experienced across the region.
In France, health authorities recorded approximately 1,000 more deaths than expected since Wednesday, highlighting the growing human toll of the prolonged heatwave.
Millions of residents across Europe have been exposed to temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, with weather forecasts indicating that about 191 million people could face similar conditions in the coming days.
Germany, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic are among the countries experiencing some of the most severe impacts of the extreme weather.
The WHO linked the increasing occurrence of heatwaves and other extreme weather events to climate change, stressing the need for governments to strengthen heat-health response plans and implement measures aimed at protecting vulnerable populations from rising temperatures.
