TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – A record-breaking heat wave that swept across Western Europe in June and July 2026 has become one of the continent’s deadliest climate disasters, with preliminary estimates showing more than 14,000 excess deaths across six of the hardest-hit countries, according to Politico.
The extreme heat, which lasted from June 18 to July 1, shattered temperature records across the region, with several areas experiencing temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius.
Scientists said such extreme temperatures would have been virtually impossible without human-driven climate change fueled by greenhouse gas emissions.
The death toll is based on excess mortality, a measure that compares the number of deaths recorded during a heat event with the average number expected under normal conditions. Unlike direct heat-related fatalities, the figure also captures deaths caused by extreme temperatures worsening existing health conditions, including cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses.
Thousands Dead Across Europe
Early data from the hardest-hit countries shows the scale of the disaster.
Germany recorded the highest number of excess deaths, with around 6,800 fatalities during the week of June 22 to June 28.
The United Kingdom followed with an estimated 2,200 heat-related deaths between June 18 and June 28, while France reported around 2,000 excess deaths during the peak of the heat wave.
Belgium recorded approximately 1,740 excess deaths, Spain reported 810 heat-related fatalities, and the Netherlands registered around 480 excess deaths.
A separate EuroMOMO mortality monitoring system, supported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization, recorded more than 10,650 excess deaths across 27 member countries between June 22 and June 28.
The figures remain preliminary and could increase as more mortality data becomes available.
Country-by-Country Impact, as reported by Politico:
France
France experienced temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius during the heat wave.
The country's public health agency reported 2,025 excess deaths between June 22 and June 28, representing a 29 percent increase compared with the previous week.
The Île-de-France region, which includes Paris, recorded 619 excess deaths, a 62.8 percent increase. Authorities warned the figure could still rise as more data is collected.
Belgium
Belgium's public health institute Sciensano recorded 1,747 excess deaths between June 18 and July 1.
Wallonia, the country's French-speaking region, was the hardest hit, with 919 additional deaths, representing a 76 percent increase.
Although older people remain the most vulnerable group during heat waves, Sciensano noted that 280 of the additional deaths involved people under 65 years old.
Germany
Germany recorded around 6,800 excess deaths during the week of June 22 to June 28.
The Robert Koch Institute estimated that about 5,100 deaths in 2026 so far could be attributed to high temperatures, with most occurring during the June heat wave.
Spain
Spain recorded 812 heat-related deaths between June 18 and June 30, according to the Carlos III Health Institute.
Despite temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in some regions, Spain has a higher rate of household air conditioning access compared with many European countries, which may have helped reduce the impact.
Around 40 percent of Spanish homes have air conditioning, compared with the European average of about 20 percent.
Netherlands
The Netherlands recorded 480 excess deaths during the week of June 22 to June 28.
The national public health institute said most victims were people aged over 80 and warned that a complete picture of the impact would only emerge after further analysis.
United Kingdom
Scientists estimated that 2,200 people died from heat-related causes in England and Wales between June 18 and June 28.
Researchers from Imperial College London, the UK Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimated that 2,700 heat-related deaths occurred across May and June.
They also calculated that 42 percent of those deaths were linked to temperature increases driven by climate change.
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