Scientists Estimate 2,300 People Killed In Heat Waves In Europe

Illustration of extreme temperature warnings. (Wikimedia Commons/Chris Yarzab)

JAKARTA - About 2,300 people died as a result of hot-related factors in 12 European cities during the extreme heat wave that ended last week, according to a rapid scientific analysis published on Wednesday.

The study targets 10 days, ending July 2, where much of Western Europe is hit by extreme heat, with temperatures breaking 40 degrees Celsius (104°F) in Spain and forest fires hitting France.

Of the 2,300 people estimated to have died during this period, 1,500 deaths were linked to climate change, which made the heat wave even worse, according to a study conducted by scientists at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

"Climate change has made it much hotter than it should be, which in turn makes it much more dangerous," said Dr. Ben Clarke, a researcher at Imperial College London.

The study covers 12 cities, including Barcelona, Madrid, London and Milan, where researchers say climate change has increased the heat wave temperature to 4 degrees Celsius.

Researchers used established epidemiological models and historical mortality data to estimate the death toll, which reflects deaths where heat is the main cause of death, including if exposure worsens pre-existing health conditions.

Scientists say they are using peer-reviewed methods to generate an estimated number of deaths quickly, as most heat-related deaths are not officially reported and some governments are not releasing this data.

Last month was the third-highest June in the world ever recorded, after the same month in 2024 and 2023, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service in a monthly bulletin on Wednesday.

Western Europe is experiencing the warmest June it has ever recorded, with most areas experiencing "very strong heat pressure" - defined by conditions that feel like temperatures are 38 degrees Celsius or more, Copernicus said.

"In a world that is getting hotter, heat waves are likely to become more frequent, more intense, and have an impact on more people across Europe," said Samantha airing, Copernicus' strategic leader for the climate.

Earlier, researchers from European health agencies reported that in 2023, as many as 61,000 people may have died from the pungent heat wave in Europe in 2022, according to new research, which shows the country's preparedness for the heat is lacking.

The increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere - most of which originate from burning fossil fuels - causes the planet's average temperature to increase over time. This increase in basic temperatures means that when heat waves arrive, temperatures can soar to higher peaks.