A large majority of heat-related deaths in RKI's statistics for 2026, 9,600 people, occurred at the end of June, when temperatures rose above 40 degrees.
For Europe, the heatwaves are thus set to cost tens of thousands of lives this summer. However, countries use different methods of counting. Spain, like Germany, calculates the number of heat-related deaths and has so far recorded 4,500 deaths this summer.
In France, excess mortality of 7,300 people is reported. However, this is excess mortality in general, not necessarily due to the weather.
Scientists have concluded that the strong and prolonged heat would not have been possible without climate change.
