Europe’s Overall Toll: Over 30,000 Excess Deaths
According to preliminary statistics released by the European Mortality Monitoring Project (EuroMOMO) in late August 2026, the cumulative “excess deaths” in 23 European countries during the summer have already surpassed 32,000. This figure does not yet fully account for August, and the final total is expected to rise further.
“Excess mortality” is a statistical concept in public health, referring to the number of deaths during a specific period from a particular event (like this heatwave) that exceeds the historical average for the same period. These deaths are not typically attributed directly to “heat” on death certificates but are caused by high temperatures exacerbating pre-existing conditions such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Statistical agencies estimate the number of additional deaths caused by heat by creating models that link mortality rates with temperature data.
Germany: Highest Death Toll, Shattering Historical Records
Germany was the hardest-hit country in this heatwave. According to official data from the Robert Koch Institute, approximately 14,000 deaths were attributed to high temperatures nationwide from April 6 to August 9, 2026. This figure far exceeds Germany’s previous records, such as in 2018, another severe year, when the annual heat-related death toll was 8,900.
Data shows that in the week of June 22 to 28 alone, Germany recorded as many as 9,600 deaths. During this period, temperatures in many parts of Germany approached 40°C, with some areas even exceeding 41°C.
Spain and France: Persistent Heat Strains Healthcare Systems
Spain also set its own grim record. The monitoring system of the Carlos III Health Institute shows that from May 15 to August 24, at least 5,030 deaths were directly attributable to high temperatures, surpassing the record of 4,789 set in 2022. Data from the Spanish Ministry of Health indicates that between 2015 and 2025, high temperatures caused a cumulative total of over 27,500 deaths.
France experienced three heatwaves during the summer of 2026, with a cumulative total of 52 high-temperature days, breaking the longest record since 1947. Preliminary data from Public Health France shows that from the end of May to July 22, all-cause excess mortality reached over 7,300 people, with about three-quarters being individuals aged 75 and older. This data also does not include August, and the current statistical system only covers about 80% of death cases, meaning the actual number is likely higher.
Notably, many French hospitals lacked air conditioning during the heatwave, with ward temperatures approaching 40°C, posing a severe threat to patients and healthcare workers. The situation in Paris was particularly dire, with 109 heat-related deaths on June 26 alone—four times the normal rate—saturating the capacity of the city’s funeral homes and morgues.
Other Countries and the Climate Change Context
Other European countries were not spared:
- United Kingdom: Health authorities reported that between May and June, approximately 2,877 people died from heat-related causes in England alone, with the annual figure expected to break the 2022 record.
- Belgium: From June 18 to July 17, there were 2,570 excess deaths, a mortality rate 39% higher than normal.
- Netherlands: In late June and early July, there were 968 excess deaths.
- Poland: A single heatwave at the end of June caused 1,070 excess deaths.
- Austria and Portugal, among other countries, also reported hundreds to thousands of excess deaths.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had warned at the end of June that Europe is the fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global average rate. Over the past 20 years, heat-related mortality in Europe has increased by more than 30%. This unprecedented heatwave event once again highlights the vulnerability of European cities and infrastructure in the face of extreme weather under the context of climate change.
