Hot Weather Kills 14,000 Germans

The Robert Koch Institute in Germany reported today that estimates indicate approximately 14,000 people in the country have died so far this year due to periods of extreme heat.

According to the institute’s latest report on heat-related mortality, which was relayed by the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) today, this figure corresponds to roughly 17 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. The report covers the period from April 6 to August 9 of this year.

According to the data, the number of people who have died from heat so far this year is significantly higher than the total recorded in typical full years. Over the past decade, notably high numbers were recorded in 2018, with 9,400 heat-related deaths, and in 2019, with 7,600 deaths.

The Robert Koch Institute stated that its estimates are conservative, meaning the actual number of heat-related deaths this year could be higher.

Approximately 4,500 people died from heatwaves in Spain between June 1 and August 19 of this year, a record high for this period since 2022. During the same period last year, 3,073 deaths were attributed to heat, and 1,890 in 2024, while a similar toll was recorded in 2022, with an estimated death toll of around 4,520.

According to data published daily by the Carlos III Health Institute in Madrid and relayed by Agence France-Presse (AFP) today, the total number of heat-related deaths since June 1 of this year reached 4,458.

These estimated figures are based on the “Mortality Monitoring System,” which collects daily mortality data in Spain and calculates the difference between actual and expected deaths based on historical data.

Spain, like much of Europe, is experiencing an exceptionally hot summer this year, with successive heatwaves.

According to the National Meteorological Agency, July 2026 was the hottest month on record in Spain, registering temperatures similar to those seen in July 2022.

July also witnessed unprecedented wildfires in Spain and was “the driest July since records began in 1961,” according to the meteorological agency.

In recent years, Spain, one of the countries most affected by climate warming, has experienced heatwaves that have become longer and more frequent, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.