Germany recorded an estimated 16,300 heat-related deaths during this summer’s severe heatwaves, according to new figures from the country’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
Heatwave in Brandenburg Gate, Berlin (Photo by RALF HIRSCHBERGER / AFP via Getty Images)
The latest estimate, released on Thursday, covers the period from 1 June to 23 August and is up from the 15,800 heat-related deaths reported by the German public health authority the previous week.
Germany’s latest figures form part of a wider picture across Europe, where more than 30,000 excess deaths have been recorded during successive heatwaves and droughts. Scientists have linked the extreme conditions to human-caused climate change.
According to the RKI, people aged over 75 accounted for the largest proportion of heat-related deaths in Germany.
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One week in particular stood out. The institute estimates that around 9,600 people died from heat-related causes between 22 and 28 June, highlighting the health risks associated with prolonged periods of extreme temperatures.
The RKI has been tracking heat-related mortality in Germany for the past decade. Its previous highest annual estimate was 8,900 deaths in 2018.
A separate report published by a medical journal previously estimated that around 10,000 heat-related deaths occurred in Germany in 1994.
The latest figures underline the growing impact of extreme heat across Europe, particularly on older and more vulnerable people, as scientists warn that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves.
Source: IOL via AFP
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