Abnormal heat in Europe leads to over 10,000 deaths in a week

As EuroNews reports, more than 9,000 of the deceased were people over 65 years old. Experts attribute the spike in mortality solely to extreme temperatures. 

In Brief

•Over the week from June 22 to June 28, 10,650 excess deaths were recorded in Europe, with over 9,000 among elderly people over 65 years old.

•June 2026 became the hottest on record in Western Europe: the average temperature was 20.74°C, which is 3.06°C above the norm.

•In England and Wales, 2,700 people died from overheating, and Belgium broke heat-related mortality records since 2000.

• Climate risks of this magnitude directly threaten Central Asia as well, where healthcare systems and infrastructure are less prepared for extreme heat.

  Record Mortality Figures

 Data from the European mortality monitoring network EuroMOMO shows that the surge in fatalities occurred during the period from June 22 to June 28. The statistics account for all deaths regardless of their immediate cause.

EuroMOMO coordinator, Chief Physician of the Danish State Serum Institute Lasse Vestergaard, characterized this spike as unusual for this time of year. According to him, it is extremely difficult to explain such a high level of excess mortality by any factor other than extreme heat. 

In Belgium, the excess mortality rate broke all records set during periods of intense heat since 2000.

A separate study conducted in London showed that in England and Wales, 2,700 people died from causes directly related to overheating during the May and June heatwaves.

  June's Climate Record

 The European climate service Copernicus reported that June 2026 was the hottest on record in Western Europe.

The average temperature in the region was recorded at 20.74 degrees Celsius. This value exceeded the climatic norm by 3.06 degrees Celsius — the most significant positive deviation for June in the entire measurement period. The record heat covered most of France, Spain, Great Britain, and a number of other countries.

Furthermore, the past June was recognized as the second hottest June in the history of all of Europe and the second warmest June on the planet, second only to the figures for June 2024. 

Earlier we reported that due to the abnormal heat, nuclear reactors were shut down in France, and a climate conference was canceled in London.

Risks for Central Asia 

For Kazakhstan and the countries of Central Asia, the European experience is a direct warning. The region is already facing more frequent heatwaves, droughts, and rising average annual temperatures. At the same time, healthcare systems, social protection, and urban infrastructure in Central Asia are significantly less adapted to extreme temperatures than European ones. The lack of early warning systems, insufficient urban greening, and a high proportion of the population working outdoors in agriculture and construction create additional risks. 

 Author's Conclusion

The European experience shows that climate change has ceased to be an abstract threat — it is already measured in thousands of human lives. For Central Asia, where adaptive capacity is lower and climate risks are growing faster, this is a signal for immediate action: from creating monitoring and early warning systems to revising building codes and social protection for vulnerable populations.