The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on Sunday that more than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded across Europe since June 21, attributing the fatalities to a record-breaking heatwave currently impacting much of the continent. As the extreme weather system moves eastward, millions of people have endured intense conditions over the weekend, leading to reports of overwhelmed health services and mounting death tolls in various countries.
French health authorities reported on Sunday morning that the country had seen approximately 1,000 more deaths than anticipated since Wednesday alone. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus shared the continent-wide figure on X, emphasizing that heat stress is frequently referred to as a “silent killer.” He noted that buildings, homes, and workplaces across Europe were largely not constructed to withstand such high temperatures.
According to estimates by AFP, at least 191 million people were expected to face temperatures of 35C or higher on Sunday, with the most severe conditions concentrated in Poland, Hungary, Germany, and the Czech Republic. Further analysis, combining data from the German Meteorological Service and 2025 population projections from the Joint Research Centre, suggests that 381 million people in Europe—excluding Turkey—are seeing temperatures exceed 30C.
Addressing the ongoing crisis, Tedros warned that millions are living under extreme heat conditions, with schools forced to close and power grids struggling to meet demand. He highlighted the impact of climate change, stating that extreme heatwaves that were once rare are now occurring almost annually. Because Europe is warming at double the global average, it remains particularly vulnerable to this trend.
The WHO is currently collaborating with member states and various partners to bolster preparedness and health system responses to extreme heat. The organization has strongly urged European nations to implement and activate comprehensive heat health action plans to better protect their populations from the escalating threats posed by global warming.
