At least 12,000 excess deaths were recorded across nine European countries during June's heatwave, national statistics indicated, a toll that could yet rise as more data is released, according to an AFP analysis.
During this period, all-time temperature records were broken in several European countries, as well as for the month of June in the UK and in Switzerland.
And while the mortality statistics remain provisional, they are an early indication of the human cost of these record-breaking heatwaves, which are becoming increasingly common.
AFP analysed data on excess deaths between June 22 and 28 from Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland.
During this period, the height of the heatwave in several countries, around 10,000 excess deaths were recorded in these countries.
