The heat in Europe this summer killed more than 50,000 people

An international team of researchers has estimated that the summer of 2026 was the deadliest in Europe in recent decades. 

In cities across the 27 EU member states, the UK, Norway, and Switzerland, 50,400 deaths were linked to extreme heat. This is nearly double the figure for 2022, when approximately 29,000 people died.

Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Imperial College London analyzed data from 854 cities, home to approximately 40% of the population in those countries. They compared temperatures from June, July, and August 2026 against historical mortality statistics to isolate deaths linked specifically to extreme heat, rather than other causes.

The authors attributed nearly two-thirds of these cases, 32,619 deaths, to human-induced global warming, including the burning of coal, oil, and gas. Italy, France, Spain, and Germany saw the highest death tolls. 

Roughly one-third of all the deaths occurred during a single heatwave between June 17 and July 1, a period when average temperatures exceeded the norm by 5.3°C.

Most people did not die from heatstroke. Heat places a heavy strain on the heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and respiratory failure. 

The elderly, children, and those with chronic illnesses were the most severely affected. According to researchers' estimates, about 6,000 of the deceased were under the age of 65.

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Source of information: Global News Agencies including REUTERS / TASS / AFP / ANADOLU / INT.RU / Al Jazeera / CNN