More than 25,000 deaths in Germany, Spain, and France due to heatwaves - Sarmad
Heat waves have claimed more than 25,000 lives in Germany, Spain, and France since the beginning of summer, according to official estimates and statistics, reflecting the growing impact of extreme heat on public health, particularly among the elderly.
Germany: 14,000 deaths
In Germany, approximately 14,000 people died due to heat waves during the current summer, according to estimates published on Thursday by the Robert Koch Institute, a body under the German Federal Ministry of Health.
This figure significantly surpasses the previous record set in 2018, when heat-related deaths were estimated at around 8,900.
Data from the institute, covering the period up to August 9, showed that the highest number of deaths occurred among individuals aged 75 and older.
Of the total estimated deaths for this year, approximately 9,600 occurred within a single week, between June 22 and 28, when Germany experienced a notable spike in temperatures, which exceeded 41 degrees Celsius in some regions.
Heat is rarely listed as a direct cause of death on death certificates; therefore, estimates of heat-related mortality rely on statistical models that compare death tolls during heat waves with those during periods without exceptional temperature rises.
Heat is seldom the direct cause of death but rather exacerbates pre-existing conditions, such as cardiovascular, respiratory, and kidney diseases, which explains the use of the term “heat-related deaths.”
Spain: Approximately 4,500 deaths
In Spain, around 4,500 people died due to heat waves between June 1 and August 19, according to data from the Carlos III Health Institute in Madrid.
The total estimated heat-related deaths reached 4,458 since the beginning of June, a record high for this period since 2022, when deaths were estimated at approximately 4,520.
By comparison, the same period last year recorded 3,073 heat-related deaths, and 1,890 in 2024.
These estimated figures are based on the “Mortality Monitoring System,” which collects daily death data in Spain and calculates the difference between actual and expected deaths based on historical data.
The system also takes into account other factors, such as temperatures recorded by the National Meteorological Agency.
Spain is experiencing an exceptional summer this year; July recorded the highest average temperature in the country’s history, according to the National Meteorological Agency. The month also saw widespread wildfires and was the driest since records began in 1961.
In recent years, Spain has faced longer and more frequent heat waves, with temperatures in some regions exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
France: More than 7,300 deaths
In France, the National Public Health Agency announced that 1,243 excess deaths occurred during the second heat wave, which lasted from July 3 to 22, bringing the total number of deaths attributed to extreme heat this year to approximately 7,300.
The agency noted that this surge in mortality, which cannot yet be definitively linked to the heat wave, included 5,764 excess deaths between June 17 and 30, and 300 excess deaths between May 24 and 28.
Health authorities stated that approximately 75% of the excess deaths during the July heat wave occurred among individuals aged 75 and older, although the impact of heat affected age groups starting from 45.
The latest heat wave affected 78 French departments, representing about 80% of the country’s population, according to the National Public Health Agency.
The heat wave that struck France in June was more intense in duration, lasting 16 days, whereas the July wave was less severe but covered a wider geographical area.
The final tally of heat-related deaths in France remains under assessment and is expected to be published next October.
