Europe Heatwave Hits 41.7°C, Excess Deaths Top 1,300

Casualties and social disruption are spreading across Europe as record high temperatures are broken day after day in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and elsewhere.

According to the BBC and other outlets Saturday, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on his X account, formerly Twitter, that "excess deaths related to Europe's high temperatures since the 21st have been recorded at more than 1,300." Excess deaths refer to the difference between the number of deaths expected for a particular period based on past statistics and the number of deaths that actually occurred.

"Heat stress is called the 'silent killer,' and homes, workplaces and schools in Europe were not built to withstand the high temperatures we are seeing now," Tedros said. "Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating up at twice the global average."

Meteorologists point to the heat dome phenomenon as the cause of the current European heatwave. A heat dome occurs when a high-pressure system stalls, pressing down and trapping the air near the ground. As the air sinking beneath the atmosphere compresses, the temperature rises sharply, and the formation of clouds is blocked, allowing strong sunlight to heat the ground even further.

As a result, temperatures across European countries are setting new highs day after day. The Koschen area in the eastern German state of Brandenburg recorded 41.7 degrees, marking the hottest day on record for the third consecutive day. Doksany in the Czech Republic and Slubice in Poland recorded 41.1 degrees and 40.5 degrees, respectively.

France has suffered the greatest damage from the heatwave, with deaths nationwide exceeding projections by about 1,000 since the 24th. In particular, deaths at home surged 40%, and a significant portion of the deceased were elderly people aged 65 and older.

Collateral casualties from people trying to escape the heat are also spreading. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said, "Since the heatwave began, at least 74 people have drowned in rivers, lakes and ponds where there were no safety personnel."

The WHO has called on European governments to immediately implement a "heat-health action plan" to protect the lives and health of their citizens in response to the climate crisis.