Europe Heatwave Kills Over 1,300 as WHO Raises Alarm

Europe’s deadly heatwave has claimed more than 1,300 lives since June 21, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to warn that the crisis is far from over as record-breaking temperatures continue to sweep across the continent.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described heat stress as a “silent killer,” warning that “European homes, workplaces and schools were not built for these temperatures.” He attributed the worsening heatwaves to climate change, noting that Europe is “the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating at twice the global average.”

France has been the hardest-hit country, recording about 1,000 excess deaths since June 24, while Spain linked more than 400 deaths to extreme heat between Wednesday and Saturday. The United Kingdom also recorded its hottest June day on record at 37.3°C, with Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Denmark setting new national temperature records.

Scientists said the unusually high night-time temperatures are now 100 times more likely than they were two decades ago due to human-caused climate change. Tedros added that the current heatwave would have been “virtually impossible” without global warming.

The extreme weather has also disrupted daily life, forcing the evacuation of elderly residents from a nursing home in Germany and prompting rail operator Deutsche Bahn to advise against non-essential travel due to heat-related infrastructure damage.

With millions still under extreme heat alerts as the heatwave spreads eastward, the WHO has urged European governments to implement heat-health action plans to prevent further loss of life.