Germany’s heat death toll exceeds 5,000 as record temperatures grip Europe

Germany has recorded an estimated 5,120 heat-related deaths so far this year, with the majority occurring in late June when weekly average temperatures climbed well above 20 degrees Celsius, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said on July 9.

According to the public health institute’s weekly report, around 4,270 of the fatalities were among people aged 75 and older. More women than men died, largely because women make up a larger share of the oldest age groups, Reuters reports.

The figures add to growing concerns over the impact of extreme heat across Europe. The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record, with the average temperature reaching 20.74 degrees Celsius.

Authorities in France, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands have reported more than 4,700 excess deaths linked to the June 20-28 heatwave.

By Jeyhun Aghazada