France records 2,025 excess deaths at peak of heatwave as Europe braces for more extreme weather

With deaths jumping 29% in the last week of June – a near 2,000‑person increase over the earlier week – France confirmed an alarming climb in mortality during the continent’s hottest month on record.

Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said the spike was a “clear increase” in people aged over 45, while the Paris region alone logged a 62% rise in deaths.

The nation’s highest average temperature landed on 24 June, with Paris hitting almost 41ºC and half of France sealed under a red heat alert to curb risk from heat‑related illnesses and wildfires.

While France’s grey‑line numbers soar, Belgium’s excess death toll rose 39% to 1,222, with nearly half the victims aged 85 or older. Dutch authorities reported 480 excess deaths, largely among the elderly, as temperatures approached 40ºC in the south and east.

The French government warns the figure may be an under‑estimation, hinting that mortality could reach higher in the coming days. Drowning deaths, too, surged, with 72 people drowned between 18 and 25 June.

Across the Iberian Peninsula, meteorologists predict further heat surges. Portugal has declared a state of alert until midnight Tuesday, forecasting highs above 40ºC overnight, while Spanish southwest regions face orange alerts, with 40ºC expected in some locales.

With Europe’s heatwaves intensifying, public health advisories now stress hydration, avoidance of midday sun, and vigilance in vulnerable populations. Climate models indicate that Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average, magnifying the frequency and severity of heat incidents and associated wildfires.