Europe’s Intense Heatwaves Claimed 10,000 Lives This Summer

Europe’s Summer Heatwaves Leave Thousands Dead

As summer draws to a close, the human cost of this year’s extreme European heatwaves is becoming clearer.

A final Europe-wide death toll for summer 2026 has yet to be established, but the figures already available are worrying.

In July, the World Health Organisation said data from just five European countries showed nearly 10,000 excess deaths linked to heat. European mortality surveillance also recorded more than 14,000 excess deaths over a two-week period, although excess mortality does not mean every death was directly caused by heat.

Malta was not spared.

Between the 20th and 26th of July, 108 deaths were registered in Malta and Gozo, with the Health Ministry confirming that 20 were directly or indirectly related to heat. The victims were aged between 55 and 89, with many also suffering from underlying conditions. Meanwhile, 179 people sought emergency medical assistance because of the heat.

On 18 July, Malta reached 43.3°C, its highest July temperature in the past century, while temperatures exceeded 42°C for three consecutive days for the first time on record.

Elsewhere, Belgium recorded 2,935 excess deaths, Spain estimated 5,234 heat-related deaths between May and August, and France reported nearly 8,000 excess deaths during summer heatwaves.

However, 2026 cannot yet be ranked against previous deadly summers. Studies estimated around 61,700 heat-related deaths in Europe in 2022 and 47,700 in 2023.

The WHO warns that Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, making extreme heat an increasingly serious public-health threat.

#MaltaDaily