Europe Faces Historic Heatwave, More Than 1,000 Deaths Reported

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In a post on X, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, with temperatures rising at twice the global average rate. He noted that 150 million people are currently living under extreme heat conditions, hundreds have died, schools have been forced to close, and power grids are under severe strain.

Tourists use umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun while visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, on June 25, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

According to the WHO, more than 1,300 heat-related deaths have been recorded across Europe since June 21. Tedros Ghebreyesus said that due to climate change and global warming, heatwaves that were once considered "once-in-a-generation" events are now occurring almost every year, while homes, workplaces, and schools across Europe were not designed to withstand such extreme temperatures. He urged European countries to implement comprehensive heat-health action plans.

In France, public health authorities estimate that excess deaths have increased by approximately 1,000 since June 24, with 85 percent of the victims aged 65 or older. Many of the deaths occurred at home, particularly in the Ile-de-France region, which includes the capital, Paris.

The WHO noted that heatwaves once regarded as "once-in-a-generation" events are becoming annual occurrences because of climate change, while infrastructure in many European countries has not been built to cope with such extreme conditions.

The heatwave is continuing to move eastward and could break additional temperature records as it reaches Poland. Extreme weather has pushed temperatures to around 18 degrees Celsius above seasonal averages, forcing cultural heritage sites across Europe to close and causing severe disruption to agriculture.

Germany has suffered significant impacts after experiencing record-breaking heat throughout June and continued to face extreme weather on June 27.

The Eiffel Tower during the heatwave in Paris, France, on June 27. (Photo: Reuters)

Germany's national meteorological service issued extreme heat warnings covering nearly the entire country, forecasting average temperatures of around 36 degrees Celsius nationwide, with localized highs reaching as much as 42 degrees Celsius.

The intense heat has also directly threatened transportation systems and public events. Near Hamburg, the main carriageway of a section of the A7 motorway—one of Germany's busiest highways—was closed after the asphalt cracked under the extreme temperatures.

The heatwave has also spread across Italy, prompting the country's Ministry of Health to issue red alerts for 18 major cities on June 27 and 28, including Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Genoa, Florence, and Bologna, where temperatures are expected to reach up to 39 degrees Celsius in some areas.

According to Reuters, the heatwave has been intensified by a phenomenon known as an "Omega blocking high," which traps hot air over a region for an extended period while cooler air remains confined to the surrounding areas.

Scientists say this heatwave would have been virtually impossible without the human-caused climate crisis. Climate change has made nighttime temperatures like those recorded this week 100 times more likely than they were just two decades ago.

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