Heatwaves Cause Thousands of Excess Deaths Across Europe
4 sources across 3 countries · France · Brazil · Norway
Who reported this
- Le Monde
- France 24
- Folha de S.Paulo
- Aftenposten
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
- A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.
Political lean describes where an outlet sits within the politics of its own country. It is never a position on a single global scale.
Political lean is comparable inside one country and not across them, which is why the bar groups by country first. Publicly funded broadcasters are not marked as state-linked.
The owner of each outlet is listed as a matter of record, not as a judgement about the outlet.
Heatwaves across Europe have led to a significant increase in mortality this summer, with some reports indicating that more people died during the heat spikes than during the typical winter flu season. In Germany, the Robert Koch Institute estimated approximately 14,000 heat related deaths, with 9,600 of those occurring during a single week in late June when temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius. Spain recorded nearly 4,500 heat related deaths between June 1 and August 19, according to the Carlos III Health Institute. In France, over 7,300 excess deaths were reported from May through July, making this the deadliest summer since 2003. Additionally, France has experienced its longest heatwave since 1983, beginning on July 28.
Data from the European Mortality Monitoring Network across 23 countries shows that around 16,000 more people died than usual during the peak heat in late June. Elderly populations were the most affected, with one report noting that 85 percent of victims in France were over 65 years old. Experts explain that these deaths often result from a combination of high temperatures and pre existing conditions, such as renal, pulmonary, or cardiovascular diseases. A study by the World Weather Attribution consortium associated the current heatwaves with climate change and warned that global warming has intensified forest fires on the continent.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- This outlet framed the event through a human interest lens by calling for personal testimonies from grieving families.
- Centre
- These outlets focused on the statistical data and the scientific link between the deaths and climate change.
- Centre-right
- This outlet emphasized the comparative scale of the tragedy by contrasting heatwave mortality with flu season deaths.
Sources
- Centre-right Aftenposten: More died from the heatwave in Europa than from the flu season
- Centre Folha de S.Paulo: Germany has about 14 thousand heat related deaths this summer
- Centre France 24: Twenty-three days: the heatwave that began at the end of July is the longest in France since 1983
- Centre France 24: Heatwave in Europe: 14,000 heat related deaths in Germany, nearly 4,500 in Spain
- Centre-left Le Monde: Call for testimonies: are you facing the death of a loved one after one of the heatwaves? Tell us
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.