Europe sees more than 1,300 excess deaths amid brutal heatwave, WHO says

[Beijingwalker]

Europe sees more than 1,300 excess deaths amid brutal heatwave, WHO says​

Published on 28/06/2026 - 9:32 GMT+2

Temperatures have topped 40°C across parts of Europe this week, piling pressure on hospitals and first responders amid a surge in emergency callouts.​

Europe has recorded more than 1,300 excess deaths since 21 June as searing temperatures gripped the continent, according to the World Health Organization.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the WHO, announced the figures in a post on social media on Sunday, stressing that "European homes, workplaces and schools were not built for these temperatures".

Public Health France announced on Sunday that France had recorded around 1,000 more deaths than expected since Wednesday.

"Since June 24, approximately 1,000 additional deaths (unconsolidated figures) have been observed compared to the deaths recorded in previous months," the agency said in a statement.

The most-affected areas include those that have been under a red heat alert, particularly Île-de-France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Brittany, Centre-Val de Loire, Normandy, and Pays de la Loire, the agency said, adding that 85% of the deaths involved people aged 65 or over.

Parts of France have topped 40°C this week, piling pressure on hospitals and first responders amid a surge in emergency callouts.

More than thirty departments were under a red heat alert for much of the week, and the country recorded its hottest-ever day on Wednesday, with the average 24-hour temperature hitting 30°C.

In Paris, authorities banned drinking alcohol in public over the weekend in an effort to relieve pressure on emergency services, while the city's Pride March, which had been scheduled to take place on Saturday, was also postponed. The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum have also been closing early amid the hot weather.

People have been flocking to parks and canals across the city throughout the week to escape the scorching conditions, but authorities have warned of the danger of unsupervised swimming after a man drowned in the Canal Saint-Martin on Friday night.

"We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: swimming outside the times when supervised swimming is permitted, and outside the supervised areas, is dangerous," Emmanuel Grégoire, the mayor of Paris, wrote on X.

Ligue 2 footballer Kenzo Kies also died after reportedly drowning in the Rhône River during the heatwave.

In a statement, his club Guingamp said it was "saddened" to learn of the 21-year-old's death.

"En Avant Guingamp extends its deepest condolences to the family of Kenzo Kies and to all his loved ones, and offers them its full support during this difficult time," it added.

Temperatures have soared across Europe in recent days.

The United Kingdom recorded its hottest June day on record on Friday.

The Met Office, the UK's national weather and climate service, said provisional figures showed the village of Santon Downham in Suffolk hit 37.3°C.

Spain and Germany have also seen temperatures top 40°C.

According to Spain's Daily Mortality Monitoring System (MoMo), more than 400 deaths may have been linked to temperature between Wednesday and Saturday. The number of excess deaths over the same period was 174, the system shows.

 

[Beijingwalker]

Spain heat wave kills over 1,000 in second-hottest June ever​

AFP, Reuters
July 1 2026

At least 1,028 people died during Spain's recent heat wave as the country endured its hottest January-to-June period on record. Scientists said the extreme heat across Europe was driven by climate change.

More than 1,000 people died from heat-related causes during the recent heat wave in Spain, as the country recorded its hottest first half of the year on record, officials said on Wednesday.

Spain's Carlos III Health Institute said in a report that at least 1,028 heat-related deaths were reported during the heat wave last month.

This number was more than double the 407 recorded in June 2025. This was also the most deaths attributed to heat in June since 2015.

On June 23, ‌at the peak of the heat wave, 35.7 million people, which made up roughly 73% of Spain's population, ‌were exposed to health risks

Spain's national weather agency Aemet said in a post on X that last month was the country's second-hottest June on record, with temperatures averaging 3.2 degree Celsius above normal.

"The first half of 2026 becomes the warmest for the whole of Spain since records began, with a temperature 1.6 degrees Celsius above normal," Aemet posted.

Europe's record-breaking heat wave​

The recent heat wave, which scorched much of Europe, was the continent's most severe on record.

Temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) have broken records in France, Germany and other European countries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has blamed the heat wave for more than 1,300 additional deaths across Europe, with that number likely to rise.

The extreme heat broke all-time temperature records in several European countries, including Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, with France experiencing its highest-ever nighttime temperatures.

What do scientists say?​

According to meteorologists, the heat wave is being driven by a mass of hot air moving north from the Sahara, fueled by a strong high-pressure system known as the "African anticyclone."

The high-pressure system has created a so-called "heat dome," which traps hot air over Western and Central Europe, allowing temperatures to climb day after day.

Experts say human-induced climate change has intensified temperatures, making this year's record heat wave up to 4 degrees Celsius hotter.

Portugal issues red warnings for Thursday, Friday​

Meanwhile, neighboring Portugal on Wednesday was warning residents, particularly in the west, to prepare for the next spell of high temperatures.

Red heat warnings from the IPMA weather agency are in place for two western regions, Lisbon and Setubal directly to the south, on Thursday, with highs of 40 Celsius forecast in the capital.

Four states face extreme heat warnings on Friday, and most of the country is subject to an orange heat alert.

Medium-term forecasts currently suggest that the high pressure and hot temperatures will start to spread east and north to Spain, Italy, France and perhaps beyond in the ensuing days.

Spain heat wave kills over 1,000 in second-hottest June ever

At least 1,028 people died during Spain's recent heat wave as the country endured its hottest January-to-June period on record. Scientists said the extreme heat across Europe was driven by climate change.

www.dw.com

 

[Beijingwalker]

Paris deputy mayor blames the US for a heatwave that's killed over 1,000 people. Her target? American air conditioning​

Chris Morris
Wed, July 1, 2026

Roughly 1,000 more people have died during the record heatwave that hovered over France last week — and the deputy mayor of Paris says the U.S. bears part of the blame.

Deputy Mayor Audrey Pulvar, in a long post on Instagram, blasted the influencers who have been criticizing the country for not having sufficient air conditioning, saying they don't seem to grasp that those cooling devices are part of the reason temperatures are escalating globally.

"Dear American journalists and social media 'influencers': for days, some of you have been criticizing and making fun of Paris because the city does not have A/C in every room. OMG, this is so rich!" (2)she wrote (2). "As the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, you bear a significant amount of responsibility for global warming and the consequences we, in France, are experiencing. Your cities '90% air-conditioned' are not unrelated to this. In Paris, we take responsibility."

Overrun mortuaries​

The heat wave hit its peak between Wednesday and Saturday, with temperatures hitting their highest levels in recorded history. That resulted in an estimated 1,000 excess deaths (1), though the final toll may take months to calculate.

Temperatures topped 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit, for days. Mortuaries in Paris were so overwhelmed during the worst of the heat wave that they were forced to turn away bodies.

Paris deputy mayor blames the US for a heatwave that's killed over 1,000 people. Her target? American air conditioning

"As the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, you bear a significant responsibility for global warming…"

finance.yahoo.com

 

[Beijingwalker]

Chinese air conditioner manufacturers work around the clock as European heatwaves drive booming demand for cooling products

By Global Times
Published: Jun 27, 2026 06:16 PM

Hot weather continues to affect daily life as high temperatures persist across the London, United Kingdom on June 26, 2026. Photo: VCG

Leading Chinese air conditioner manufacturers are working around the clock to keep up with soaring demand for portable split air conditioners, which have seen booming sales as record-breaking heatwaves sweep across Europe, according to one firm and relevant media reports on Saturday.

Chinese air conditioner manufacturer Midea told the Global Times on Saturday that the company's air conditioner plant in Shunde, South China's Guangdong Province, is currently working around the clock to ramp up production of its PortaSplit models.

The units are being rushed to Europe via China-Europe freight trains in a bid to catch what remains of the peak summer season, the company said in a statement. "We have seen robust sales growth in parts of Western Europe. Our air conditioner sales in markets with relatively low air conditioner penetration, including France, Spain, Germany and the UK all posted a year-on-year increase of more than 70 percent," Midea said.

In addition to Midea, major Chinese home appliance brands including Gree and TCL have also ramped up production of similar portable air conditioners, according to yicai.com.

The explosive popularity comes as Europe has been gripped by record heatwaves, triggering widespread public demand for efficient cooling devices. Temperatures broke June records in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands on Friday as the death toll from Europe's heatwave climbed in Spain and France, according to BBC.

Europe has long maintained a low overall air-conditioning penetration rate. In Paris and other historic areas, many buildings are protected by strict facade regulations that prohibit wall drilling for traditional split systems, and professional installation costs often exceed the price of the air conditioner itself. For years, local consumers have long been cautious about buying air conditioners for these reasons, according to media reports.

On social media, there are many positive comments praising Chinese cooling appliances for their affordability and practicality. A German netizen even built a dedicated website allowing people to track the stock availability of Midea's PortaSplit.

One user said they spent two days searching across the EU, eventually driving 200 kilometers to purchase the last available unit - at a price that had already increased by 100 euro.

China exported $27.2 billion worth of air conditioners in 2025, accounting for nearly 40 percent of global exports, according to OEC data, underscoring the country's dominant position in the global cooling equipment supply chain.

Beyond air conditioners, a wide range of Chinese-made cooling products - from fan-equipped sun hats to handheld fans and cooling blankets - have also gained popularity across Europe.

The massive popularity of Chinese portable split air conditioners and other cooling products stems from consumer demand and innovative product design tailored for local demand, and against the backdrop of the record heatwaves across Europe, user-friendly Chinese cooling products effectively fill critical gaps in the regional market and meet the urgent needs of local residents, Liu Dingding, an internet commentator, told the Global Times.

China, with its complete industrial chain and strong manufacturing competitiveness, offers complementary trade advantages to Europe and should have no problem meeting growing demand from Europe, Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Saturday,

"But unlike before, Europe is now adopting toward protectionist measures in its trade with China," Cui said, adding that the EU ought to discard protectionist actions, respect market rules and consumers' independent choices, and uphold open, inclusive bilateral trade cooperation to unlock win-win development for both European consumers and Chinese manufacturers.

Chinese air conditioner manufacturers work around the clock as European heatwaves drive booming demand for cooling products - Global Times

www.globaltimes.cn

 

[AZ_HighCountry]

Do NOT let this thread drift into the realm of Chinese propaganda.

 

[Beijingwalker]

Do NOT let this thread drift into the realm of Chinese propaganda.

It's literally the most urgent global affair at this moment, WHO is closely watching the development.

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Jun 30, 2026
Temperatures broke records across Europe again on Sunday.
The head of the World Health Organization says more than 1,300 heat-related deaths have been recorded since June 21.

 

[AZ_HighCountry]

It's literally the most urgent global affair at this moment, WTO is closely watching the development.

I understand that. I also know your posting habits.

FWIW, what Europe is seeing right now was a cool day for me when I still lived in PHX. We would not see low temperatures under 90F until sometime in late September and sometimes the beginning of October. We did not have masses of people dying from heat-related incidents.

 

[SolarWarden]

I understand that. I also know your posting habits.

FWIW, what Europe is seeing right now was a cool day for me when I still lived in PHX. We would not see low temperatures under 90F until sometime in late September and sometimes the beginning of October. We did not have masses of people dying from heat-related incidents.

Yeah their kind of weather here in inland San Diego is go to the mall or chill in the shade with many many beers.

 

[ety]

Chinese air conditioner manufacturers work around the clock as European heatwaves drive booming demand for cooling products

By Global Times
Published: Jun 27, 2026 06:16 PM

Hot weather continues to affect daily life as high temperatures persist across the London, United Kingdom on June 26, 2026. Photo: VCG

Leading Chinese air conditioner manufacturers are working around the clock to keep up with soaring demand for portable split air conditioners, which have seen booming sales as record-breaking heatwaves sweep across Europe, according to one firm and relevant media reports on Saturday.

Chinese air conditioner manufacturer Midea told the Global Times on Saturday that the company's air conditioner plant in Shunde, South China's Guangdong Province, is currently working around the clock to ramp up production of its PortaSplit models.

The units are being rushed to Europe via China-Europe freight trains in a bid to catch what remains of the peak summer season, the company said in a statement. "We have seen robust sales growth in parts of Western Europe. Our air conditioner sales in markets with relatively low air conditioner penetration, including France, Spain, Germany and the UK all posted a year-on-year increase of more than 70 percent," Midea said.

In addition to Midea, major Chinese home appliance brands including Gree and TCL have also ramped up production of similar portable air conditioners, according to yicai.com.

The explosive popularity comes as Europe has been gripped by record heatwaves, triggering widespread public demand for efficient cooling devices. Temperatures broke June records in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands on Friday as the death toll from Europe's heatwave climbed in Spain and France, according to BBC.

Europe has long maintained a low overall air-conditioning penetration rate. In Paris and other historic areas, many buildings are protected by strict facade regulations that prohibit wall drilling for traditional split systems, and professional installation costs often exceed the price of the air conditioner itself. For years, local consumers have long been cautious about buying air conditioners for these reasons, according to media reports.

On social media, there are many positive comments praising Chinese cooling appliances for their affordability and practicality. A German netizen even built a dedicated website allowing people to track the stock availability of Midea's PortaSplit.

One user said they spent two days searching across the EU, eventually driving 200 kilometers to purchase the last available unit - at a price that had already increased by 100 euro.

China exported $27.2 billion worth of air conditioners in 2025, accounting for nearly 40 percent of global exports, according to OEC data, underscoring the country's dominant position in the global cooling equipment supply chain.

Beyond air conditioners, a wide range of Chinese-made cooling products - from fan-equipped sun hats to handheld fans and cooling blankets - have also gained popularity across Europe.

The massive popularity of Chinese portable split air conditioners and other cooling products stems from consumer demand and innovative product design tailored for local demand, and against the backdrop of the record heatwaves across Europe, user-friendly Chinese cooling products effectively fill critical gaps in the regional market and meet the urgent needs of local residents, Liu Dingding, an internet commentator, told the Global Times.

China, with its complete industrial chain and strong manufacturing competitiveness, offers complementary trade advantages to Europe and should have no problem meeting growing demand from Europe, Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Saturday,

"But unlike before, Europe is now adopting toward protectionist measures in its trade with China," Cui said, adding that the EU ought to discard protectionist actions, respect market rules and consumers' independent choices, and uphold open, inclusive bilateral trade cooperation to unlock win-win development for both European consumers and Chinese manufacturers.

Chinese air conditioner manufacturers work around the clock as European heatwaves drive booming demand for cooling products - Global Times

www.globaltimes.cn

They are probably going to stab China in the back again when the ordeal is over just as in the Covid-19 supplies. They are going to complain that China have production overcapacity of air conditioners for Europe. Whey do Chinese always have to work overtime into the night to supply such products to these people, lol ? Can't they solve their problems by themselves. Chinese workers should take vacations in the summer as the Europeans do.

 

[MH.Yang]

If it is to protect the beauty of modern European architecture, Europeans can cover the outer layer of air conditioning with Gothic style decorative panels. This is a problem that is easy to solve and not worth sacrificing so much human life for. If it were for climate, Europeans could also plant hundreds or thousands of trees like China. These trees absorb enough carbon to compensate for the damage caused by air conditioning. To torture ordinary people for inexplicable reasons is not like a moral ruler, but more like an internet celebrity intentionally creating hot topics.