Europe's record heatwave engulfs the east as death toll mounts and another surge looms

The heat dome moves east

After scorching western Europe, the continent's deadliest heatwave shifted east over the weekend, breaking temperature records in multiple countries. Germany recorded 41.7°C at Coschen, Brandenburg, on Sunday, its third consecutive daily record. Poland reached 40.5°C in Slubice, and the Czech Republic hit 41.9°C in Doksany, potentially setting a national record for the second day in a row. Hungary warned that Tuesday could bring 42°C, which would be an all-time high, while Serbia, Croatia, Romania and Austria all remained under the highest heat alerts.

A mounting human toll

The World Health Organization said 1,300 excess deaths had been reported across Europe since June 21. France counted 1,000 heat-linked fatalities, mostly older people, and Spanish authorities reported more than 800 additional deaths. Funeral homes in the Paris region were overwhelmed. Drownings also spiked as people sought relief in unsupervised waters: France recorded 74 drownings since June 18, and Poland 17 on Sunday alone. Two boys aged 8 and 10 were found dead in a hot car in Cyprus.

France1,000

Spain800

France

1000 deaths

Spain

800 deaths

Data from the article text

“The two hardest days of the heatwave are coming. Let's show that we are capable of complete national unity. Let's look out for each other.”

Infrastructure and nature under stress

The heat buckled tram tracks in German cities and strained power grids across the continent. Ukraine, whose energy system has been battered by war, scrambled to brace for the intense demand. Wildfires broke out: dozens of firefighters and four aircraft battled a blaze in pine forests on Croatia's island of Vis, while Albania contained a fire near Klos that consumed hectares of olive trees and bushes. In Bosnia, crews fought blazes sparked during the heat.

A fingerprint of climate change

Scientists from World Weather Attribution said the heatwave would have been "virtually impossible" without human-caused climate change. Nighttime temperatures this week were made 100 times more likely than two decades ago. Italian meteorologist Daniele Mocio noted current temperatures were running 8 to 10 degrees Celsius above seasonal norms.

“The heatwave would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change, which has made this week's soaring night-time temperatures 100 times more likely than they would have been just two decades ago.”

More heat on the way

Although parts of Western Europe caught a brief reprieve, Italy's Meteorological Society president Luca Mercalli expects another surge from July 5–6, affecting France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Britain. In the east, Pope Leo delivered the Angelus address to pilgrims shielding themselves with fans and umbrellas at the Vatican, while Hungarian authorities published a list of over 2,000 air-conditioned cooling centres as the country braced for its peak.

“The areas affected look broadly the same as in the first wave, including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and to some extent Britain.”