Heatwave causes nearly 2,300 deaths in 12 European cities

According to a scientific rapid analysis, during a severe heat wave in Europe in late June and early July this year, about 2,300 people died in 12 European cities from causes related to high temperatures. Reuters writes.

The extreme heat wave in Europe lasted for 10 days and ended on July 2, 2025. During this heat wave, the thermometer rose above 40°C in Spain. It also caused a series of forest fires in France.

According to a study by scientists from Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, of the 2,300 people estimated to have died from high temperatures during this period, 1,500 of those deaths were linked to climate change, which exacerbated the heat.

The study covered 12 cities, including Barcelona, Madrid, London and Milan, where researchers say climate change has increased temperatures during heat waves by 4°C.

The researchers used established epidemiological models and historical mortality data to estimate the number of deaths during periods when heat was a major cause of death, particularly as a factor in exacerbating chronic diseases. Peer-reviewed methods were used to quickly estimate the number of deaths, as most heat-related deaths are not officially recorded and some governments do not publish such data.

Last month was the third hottest June on record, second only to 2023 and 2024, the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service reported.

Scientists from the European Institutes of Health previously reported that, according to a new study, up to 61,000 people could have died in Europe during the 2022 heat wave, suggesting that countries' efforts to prepare for the heatwave are woefully inadequate.