Europe Heat Wave Death Toll Surpasses 1,300 as France Records 1,000 Excess Deaths

PARIS, Jun 28: A deadly heat wave sweeping across Europe has been linked to more than 1,300 excess deaths since June 21, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Sunday.

France alone recorded around 1,000 additional deaths above expected levels between June 24 and the latest reporting period, according to preliminary data from the country’s national public health agency.

Public Health France said the majority of excess deaths involved people aged over 65, while deaths occurring at home increased by around 40% during the extreme heat period.

French Health Minister Stephanie Rist warned that the health impact of the heat wave was not over despite temperatures easing in some areas, saying the country was still experiencing a higher-than-normal number of deaths.

Paris emergency medical services reported 80 deaths on Saturday, including 30 cardiac arrests, compared with 109 deaths recorded on Friday. Officials stressed that the figures covered only cases handled by emergency services and did not represent the full death toll in the capital.

The surge in mortality follows 11 consecutive days of intense heat across large parts of France. Although thunderstorms brought cooler weather to several regions, hospitals continued to face pressure from heat-related illnesses and delayed complications.

The Keraunos observatory reported more than 127,000 lightning strikes across France on Saturday night, with severe electrical activity recorded between the Paris region and Hauts-de-France.

Meanwhile, the WHO chief warned that extreme heat is becoming increasingly frequent due to climate change, describing heat stress as a “silent killer.”

“More than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded since 21 June linked to high temperatures in Europe,” Tedros said, adding that around 150 million people across the continent are currently exposed to extreme heat conditions.

He said Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, warming at roughly twice the global average, and warned that heat waves once considered rare are now occurring almost every year.

Health authorities across Europe have urged elderly people, vulnerable groups, and those living alone to take precautions, warning that the full human impact of the current heat wave may not yet be known.