More than 1,300 deaths in Europe due to a record heatwave

June 29, 2026 (PEN) A record-breaking heatwave that has been hitting Europe since June 21 has killed more than 1,300 people, while the World Health Organization has warned that the continent is warming at twice the global average due to climate change.

Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland recorded record temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday, peaking at 41.7 degrees in eastern Germany, coinciding with school closures and severe strain on electricity networks.

The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that "European homes, workplaces and schools were not designed to withstand such conditions," calling on countries to implement urgent health plans to cope with heat waves, which are now occurring annually instead of once in a generation.

France explained that deaths have risen by about 1,000 cases above normal since Wednesday, mostly among the elderly over 65, with a 40% increase in deaths within homes.

French authorities have also recorded the deaths of 74 people who drowned in unsupervised bodies of water since the start of the wave.

The harsh conditions prompted several countries to take exceptional measures, including canceling the "Defcon 1" festival in the Netherlands, banning alcohol, and cancelling the Pride parade in Paris.

The record-breaking heat wave was attributed to a phenomenon known as a "heat dome," which traps hot air and prevents cloud formation, exacerbating the rise in temperatures.