Germany sees 32% rise in deaths during June heatwave, with 23,900 fatalities recorded in a single week.
BERLIN: Deaths in Germany spiked 32% during a record heatwave in June compared to levels in the previous four years, official data showed Tuesday.
Nationwide, about 23,900 people died between June 22 and June 28 — an increase of 7,100 compared with the two previous weeks, according to Germany’s statistics agency.
Sweltering weather swept across western Europe last month, with temperatures in parts of Germany topping 41C.
The report revised upward revision the agency’s previous estimate of around 6,800 heat-related deaths during the heatwave.
Other than the final week of June, mortality figures across Germany in 2026 have largely remained within the range of the previous four years or even declined, the agency said.
Germany’s public health authority, the Robert Koch Institute, put the number of heat-related deaths at 5,100 or more in an estimate published last week.
Between 2022 and 2025, the estimated annual death toll linked to heat ranged from approximately 2,600 to 4,900, according to the statistics agency.
The years 2018 and 2019 saw the highest numbers of heat-related deaths to date, with 8,400 and 6,900 fatalities, respectively, according to the report.
The EU’s climate monitor said last week that western Europe experienced its hottest June on record last month.
