June heatwave caused 5.700 excess deaths in Germany

According to figures from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the most recent June heatwave resulted in 5.780 excess deaths in Germany. We take a closer look at the figures:

Health impacts of June heatwave emerge

At the end of June, a heatwave had its grip on western Europe. In Germany, all-time temperature records were broken for three days in a row between June 25 and 27, peaking when 41,8 degrees celsius was recorded in Möckern-Drewitz in Saxony-Anhalt.

Wildfires broke out near the Polish border, tram tracks melted in Leipzig, asphalt split on the motorway near Hamburg, and non-urgent drinking water use was restricted. Now, the public health implications of the heatwave are becoming clearer.

According to Destatis, Germany recorded 5.780 excess deaths during the heatwave between June 22 and 28. Excess deaths refer to the difference between the typical number of deaths in a specific time frame and the actual number recorded. 

Put simply, between June 22 and 28, 2026, 5.780 more people died in Germany than during the same period in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. Compared to the two weeks leading up to June 22 to 28, Germany recorded 7.100 excess deaths during the heatwave.

According to analysis by the AFP, Europe recorded at least 12.000 excess deaths during the June heatwave.

Why do more people die during heatwaves?

Climate scientists have long warned that unless more is done to urgently reduce global CO2 emissions, extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, will become more extreme and more common.

While infrastructure in some southern European countries is better designed to handle temperatures in the mid-30s, heatwaves hotter or farther north pose serious health risks. This is because high temperatures put the human body under stress. 

During a heatwave, your body, particularly your heart and kidneys, works harder to keep you cool. If your body is working hard but you still cannot cool down, it can lead to heatstroke. For people with existing conditions and older people, this can result in organ failure and prove fatal, even before experiencing heatstroke.

Hot weather at night can also be dangerous. Heatwaves often bring so-called “tropical nights”, when temperatures do not drop below 20 degrees. During a tropical night, our bodies find it harder to rest properly, which can compound the damage from the hot day.

In the longer term, heatwaves also cause more air pollution, wildfires and power cuts, all of which put healthcare systems under greater pressure. Heatwaves also cause more accidents. For example, nearly 100 people drowned in Germany during the most recent heatwave, the worst toll in 20 years. 

At the beginning of the heatwave in France, two young children died in a car. “The causes of death are yet to be determined, but the heat is the leading line of inquiry,” prosecutor Hélène Mourges said following the incident.