Heat wave wreaks havoc in Europe, over 62,000 deaths revealed in new report
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A shocking statistic has emerged about how deadly the record-breaking heat of 2024 proved in Europe. According to a new report published Monday in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine, more than 62,700 people died from heat-related causes in Europe in the summer of 2024. Women and elderly citizens were the most affected by this disaster.
Key points of the report
An analysis of mortality data from 32 European countries by researchers at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) has revealed some significant and worrying findings. The report shows that a total of more than 181,000 deaths were caused by heat in Europe during the summers of 2022 to 2024. Specifically, the death rate between June 1 and September 30, 2024, was 23% higher than last year, although this figure was slightly lower than the record of 67,900 deaths in 2022. This alarming situation is further reinforced by the fact that the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service recorded the summer of 2024 as the hottest summer ever recorded in Europe.
Countries with elderly populations are the most affected
According to the report, two-thirds of the estimated heat-related deaths occurred in Southern Europe. Italy was the worst affected country, mainly due to its large elderly population. "This data is a clear warning that we must take immediate and effective steps to protect our population from the heat," said lead author of the study, Tomas Janos.
The danger remains even in 2025
Although the study doesn't include data for 2025, the Italian Society for Emergency Medicine (SIMEU) reported that this year (2025) also saw an increase of up to 20% in the number of patients visiting emergency rooms in some areas during extreme temperatures. SIMEU President Alessandro Riccardi said the heat affected the already sick and vulnerable the most, creating pressure on hospitals similar to flu season.
Experts give long term investment advice
Gerardo Sanchez, an official with the European Environment Agency, said that given these figures, there is now a dire need for long-term investment. "We must improve buildings and make cooling systems accessible to everyone," he said. "Heat protection should be treated like essential medicine. This report clearly shows that the threat of heat is increasing due to climate change and Europe must develop even stronger plans to avoid such tragedies in the future."