Heatwave: Over 10,000 people died in Europe in June - Report

European countries reported over 10,000 excess deaths during the record-breaking heatwave that engulfed the west of the continent in June.

Official data showed that the vast majority of the deaths were people aged 65 years and above.

According to data published by EuroMOMO, a network backed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organisation, the deaths of the elderly alone amounted to over 9,000.

EuroMOMO explained that extreme heat can kill by causing heat stroke, or aggravating cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, with older people among the most vulnerable.

Lasse Vestergaard, chief physician at Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut, which hosts ⁠EuroMOMO, said, “to have this kind of excess at this time of year is unusual. It’s really high.