All-time temperature records fall in Germany, Poland and Czech Republic amid European heatwave; 1,300 dead
National heat records tumbled across Central Europe on Sunday as temperatures soared past 41°C, while the World Health Organization said the week-long heatwave had claimed more than 1,300 lives.
Record heat shatters national highs
On Sunday, Germany's Coschen station in Brandenburg hit 41.7°C, breaking the previous day's record of 41.5°C and the 2019 peak of 41.2°C. Poland's Slubice recorded 40.5°C, while Doksany in the Czech Republic north of Prague reached 41.1°C, setting new all-time marks for both countries. The heatwave has gripped Europe for over a week, with temperatures repeatedly exceeding 35°C.
- Germany (Coschen)
- 41.7 °C
- Czechia (Doksany)
- 41.1 °C
- Poland (Slubice)
- 40.5 °C
Human toll rises sharply
The World Health Organization's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that more than 1,300 deaths have been recorded since 21 June linked to the high temperatures.
At this moment, 150 million people are living under extreme heat. Hundreds of people have died, schools are closed and electricity grids are under severe strain.
Millions under extreme conditions
According to AFP calculations based on German weather service forecasts and population data, 191 million people in Europe experienced temperatures above 35°C at some point on Sunday, down from 193 million on Saturday. More than 381 million faced highs above 30°C. The affected zone stretched from Germany to Ukraine, covering Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia, Italy and Austria. In France, where the red alert was to end Sunday evening, some 11 million were exposed.
France confronts surging excess deaths
French health authorities reported around 1,000 excess deaths since 24 June, though not officially attributed to the heat. Santé publique France noted a 40% increase in at-home deaths alone, with the over-65s most affected.
The emergency chief at Paris's Pompidou hospital underscored the lag between heat stress and mortality, meaning final figures could rise significantly.We expect a very, very heavy toll.
Gaps in the heat mapping
The AFP-Klimadashboard analysis used the DWD model at roughly 6.5 km resolution, which likely misses urban heat islands.
The ongoing "cold blob" in the North Atlantic, south of Iceland, may also be amplifying the pressure patterns driving the heat.The analysis probably underestimates the number of people affected in dense urban areas.
