Global Heatwave Crisis: Over 10,000 Excess Deaths in Europe, U.S. on High Alert

Communities across the globe are suffering from the consequences of severe heatwaves.

Europe has recorded over 10,000 excess deaths, while 58 million people in the United States are currently under heat-related advisories.

According to reports from The Guardian and Reuters on July 12 (local time), more than 10,000 excess deaths occurred across 27 countries between June 22 and 28, when a heatwave swept across the European continent.

This figure represents approximately 10,000 more deaths than typically recorded in late June of other years. While the specific cause of death for each individual is unknown, it is highly suspected that these fatalities are linked to the heatwave.

The vast majority of these victims, over 9,000, were elderly people aged 65 and older.

Experts point to the record-breaking heat as the primary cause for this sharp surge in mortality.

Lasse Vestergaard, a doctor at EuroMOMO, a mortality monitoring network supported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), noted, "It is very unusual to see such high excess mortality at this time of year," adding, "It is difficult to explain this by anything other than the extreme heat."

The Robert Koch Institute in Germany estimates that at least 5,120 people in the country have died from heat-related illnesses, such as heatstroke, this year.

In England and Wales, it is estimated that approximately 2,700 people died from heat-related causes during the two months of May and June.

Drowning accidents are also on the rise as more people seek relief from the extreme heat by jumping into rivers and the sea.

German authorities stated that 99 people drowned in the country last month alone, with the majority of the victims being young men.

This is the highest number of drowning deaths in 23 years, since the record-breaking heatwave that struck Germany in 2003.

In France, 131 people have died from drowning since June 19.


The impact of the heatwave has also put tourist attractions on high alert.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, which is usually open until after midnight during the peak season, closed at 4 p.m. over the weekend, and the Louvre Museum and the Musée d'Orsay also reduced their operating hours and closed early.

Sports events have also been hit hard.

The Tour de France cycling race, which has never been canceled except during wartime, shortened some of its stages for the first time in its history due to the extreme heat.

Furthermore, wildfires triggered by the heatwave are breaking out across Europe.

In France, a fire broke out in the Fontainebleau Forest, located about 60 km southeast of Paris, leading to the partial closure of the A6 motorway, a major road connecting northern and southern France.

The death toll from a massive wildfire in the Andalusia region of southern Spain is also rising.

Juan Manuel Moreno, President of the Regional Government of Andalusia, stated on this day that the wildfire, considered the worst in history, has resulted in 12 deaths and 8 injuries so far.

Approximately 1,400 people have evacuated their homes to escape the fire, and the damaged area is estimated to cover 6,600 hectares (66 square kilometers).

The United States is also suffering from unprecedented high temperatures.

According to CBS News, as the heatwave that hit the western U.S. over the weekend reached its peak, approximately 58 million residents were placed under heat warnings.

In Billings, Montana, temperatures soared to 43°C (109°F), setting an all-time record.

CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan forecasted that "temperatures this week will be about 11 to 17°C (20 to 30°F) above the average for this time of year," predicting that record-breaking heat will continue throughout the week.

The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) warned that the heatwave front is gradually spreading eastward, and that the heat is expected to persist in the central region until next weekend.

Scientists suspect that this unprecedented heatwave is an adverse effect of climate change caused by global warming.

The argument is that the intensity and frequency of weather phenomena are increasing due to the disruption of ocean and atmospheric currents caused by warming, and this heatwave is one such example.

Scientists participating in the World Weather Attribution (WWA) project, which studies extreme weather, point out that the heatwave in the Northern Hemisphere at the end of June would have been virtually impossible if human-induced climate change factors were excluded.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.