Heat killed over 50,000 people in Europe in summer 2026, making it deadliest on record

During a heatwave, patients accompanied by firefighters at the entrance to the emergency department of Hôpital Pellegrin in Bordeaux, July 15, 2026. UGO AMEZ FOR LE MONDE No summer had ever been as deadly in Europe. More than 50,000 deaths occurred in urban areas during the 2026 heatwaves and could be linked to extreme heat, with two thirds attributable to climate change. This toll far surpassed those of the 2003 and 2022 heatwaves, previously considered the deadliest, and reflects the unprecedented intensity of that record-breaking summer.

These are the main findings of a landmark study published Friday, October 23, in the journal Nature Health , led by researchers from Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. To reach these estimates, the researchers analyzed data from 854 urban areas across 30 countries, comprising the 27 member states of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Norway and Switzerland, representing 40% of each territory's total population.

The overall national death toll in each country studied is therefore likely to be significantly higher, the researchers commented. The study supplemented official figures compiled by health authorities in some countries such as France and Germany, which reported more than 8,000 and over 16,000 heat-related deaths, respectively, during the summer's heatwaves. You have 78.17% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.