PARIS — A deadly heatwave that gripped parts of Europe in late June has resulted in at least 3,700 excess deaths across France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, according to health officials in each country. Authorities stress these figures are early estimates and the final toll is likely to be higher.
Experts have described the heatwave, which ran from roughly June 20 through June 28, as the most severe on record for Europe. The extreme temperatures caused widespread disruption, straining power systems, damaging infrastructure, and pushing healthcare systems to their limits. Scientists say climate change almost certainly played a role in fueling the dangerous heat.
In France, health officials recorded 2,025 excess deaths during the heatwave period. French Health Minister Stephanie Rist told local television on Friday that people over the age of 45 saw a particularly sharp rise in fatalities. The country’s public health authority reported that deaths at home surged 91% between June 22 and June 28 compared to the week prior, with nursing homes and medical facilities also seeing increased mortality. The authority cautioned that “mortality will … be higher than these initial figures suggest.”
Belgium’s Health Ministry announced Thursday that it had logged approximately 1,200 excess deaths between June 18 and June 29. Of those, 530 were among individuals aged 85 or older, while 180 of the excess deaths involved people under the age of 65. The ministry called the situation alarming, stating in an official release: “Such excess mortality during a heatwave is unprecedented in our country.”
In the Netherlands, authorities reported around 480 excess deaths tied to the heatwave, with the majority occurring among those over 80 years old.
