London, July 30: Europe is sweltering in heat this July. In England, the number of excess deaths attributed to the severe heat wave in May and June has nearly doubled compared to last year. According to an interim report from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), an estimated 2,877 additional deaths related to the heat wave have been recorded so far this year.
The report indicates that approximately 753 excess deaths occurred during the heat wave from May 24 to 27, while another 2,124 deaths are estimated from the second severe heat wave that struck from June 21 to 28.
This figure is nearly double the deaths recorded during the heat waves from June to August 2025. UKHSA noted that while these figures are still interim, they are already approaching the annual record set in 2022, which is considered the worst year to date.
Experts have expressed serious concerns over the rising temperatures, urging for an immediate reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and effective measures to protect people from the extreme heat caused by climate change.
The report states that during the severe heat in June, UKHSA and the Meteorological Department issued a red alert for three consecutive days, indicating a serious threat to life. Agencies have warned that the elderly, young children, and those with pre-existing health conditions are at the highest risk due to extreme temperatures and humidity.
Earlier, France released alarming figures regarding additional deaths in June, reporting nearly 1,000 fatalities due to the intense heat. On July 3, France’s weather agency Météo-France noted that June 2026 was the hottest June on record since 1947, with an average temperature of 22.7 degrees Celsius, which is 3.8 degrees Celsius above the average from 1991-2020.
Not only France and the UK, but other European countries are also grappling with heat waves, a trend that continues. Meteorologists attribute the heat in Europe to the “heat dome effect.” Experts explain that a cold air pressure system forming near the coast of Spain, combined with a strong high-pressure system over Western Europe, can create this “heat dome” effect. In this scenario, hot air becomes trapped in the atmosphere, leading to rising surface temperatures.
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