France records 1,000 excess deaths during record-breaking heatwave

Key Points:

• France experienced approximately 1,000 additional deaths last week during its record-breaking heat wave, with the sharpest increases in areas under extreme heat warnings and among people aged 65 and above, according to the national public health agency.
• Germany set new temperature records, including a nighttime high of 29.4°C in Saxony and a daytime high of 41.5°C in Saxony-Anhalt, with heat-related wildfires complicating firefighting efforts due to unexploded World War II ordnance.
• The World Weather Attribution study confirmed that the unprecedented heat and humidity in Europe are virtually impossible without climate change, making such events 200 times more likely now than 20 years ago.
• Berlin police used water cannons to cool crowds amid soaring temperatures, while infrastructure suffered damage, including broken highway concrete and disrupted public transportation due to heat-induced track issues.
• Greece faced very high wildfire risks in multiple regions, and Denmark experienced extreme heat followed by heavy thunderstorms and over 1,100 lightning strikes, highlighting the widespread impact of the heat wave across Europe.