Europe weather news: 41°C in Germany, 1000 deaths in France, melting roads and…; record heat turns deadly as WHO warns of…

Europe is facing one of its most severe heatwaves in recent years, with France reporting around 1,000 excess deaths during the peak of last week’s extreme temperatures. Health officials and climate experts say the disaster highlights the growing dangers of global warming, as heatwaves become more frequent and intense across the continent.

According to France’s national public health agency, Sante publique France, the estimate covers the period starting June 24 and is expected to increase as more data becomes available. Most of those who died were elderly people, especially those aged 65 and above, living in areas placed under the country’s highest red heat alerts.

Public Health France said more than 1,200 deaths were recorded on June 24, followed by over 1,400 deaths on each of the next two days. Normally, France records around 900 to 1,000 deaths per day during April and May. Around 85% of the excess deaths involved people aged 65 or older, with the biggest rise seen in private homes, particularly in the Paris region.

What has the WHO warned about Europe’s rising temperatures?

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Europe is now warming twice as fast as the global average, making it the fastest-warming continent. He said more than 150 million people were exposed to extreme heat, while over 1,300 excess deaths have been reported across Europe since June 21.

Calling heat stress a “silent killer,” Tedros urged governments to improve heat preparedness, strengthen healthcare systems, and take stronger action against climate change.

Why do scientists say this heatwave is different?

A study by the World Weather Attribution network found that the extreme heat and humidity experienced across Europe would have been nearly impossible without human-caused climate change. Researchers said such conditions are now about 200 times more likely than they were just two decades ago.

How has the heat affected daily life across Europe?

While temperatures have started easing in parts of western Europe, central and eastern Europe continue to experience record-breaking heat. Germany recorded a new national high of 41.7°C, while Poland reached 40.5°C and the Czech Republic hit a record 41.9°C.

The heat also sparked major wildfires in Germany, forced evacuations, damaged roads and railway tracks, disrupted train and tram services, and increased emergency medical calls. As temperatures dropped in some regions, severe thunderstorms followed, bringing thousands of lightning strikes across countries such as Denmark and Sweden.