Srinagar, July 4: A record-breaking Europe heatwave has claimed more than 3,700 excess lives across France, Belgium and the Netherlands, with officials warning that the death toll is expected to rise as more data is compiled.France has emerged as the worst-hit country, reporting 2,025 excess deaths during the week of June 22–28. Authorities said temperatures exceeded 40°C across large parts of the country, making it the hottest June since records began in 1947.The prolonged extreme heat overwhelmed hospitals and emergency services, disrupted transport, forced schools to shut, and led to a sharp rise in deaths at homes, hospitals and nursing facilities. The Paris region witnessed the steepest increase in fatalities, with funeral homes reportedly struggling to cope.Neighbouring Belgium recorded 1,222 excess deaths, while the Netherlands reported around 480, with elderly people accounting for the majority of victims.Health officials said hospitals witnessed a surge in heatstroke, dehydration, heart attacks and kidney failure cases, while scientists linked the deadly heatwave to climate change, warning that such extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe.Authorities across Europe said the mortality figures remain preliminary, cautioning that the Europe heatwave death toll is likely to increase as reporting is completed.
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