About 2,300 people died as a result of extreme heat in European cities in 10 days, according to a study by Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. About this informs Reuters.
The study covered a ten-day period during which much of Western Europe suffered from extremely high temperatures. At that time, the temperature in Spain rose above 40°C, and large-scale forest fires were recorded in France. Scientists estimate that of the approximately 2,300 deaths recorded during this period, 1,500 have been attributed to the effects of climate change, which amplifies the heat.
“Climate change has made the weather much hotter than it would have been without it, which in turn has made it much more dangerous.” – explained Dr. Ben Clarke, a researcher at Imperial College London.
The study analyzed the situation in 12 cities, including Barcelona, Madrid, London and Milan. Scientists note that due to climate change, the temperature during the heat wave in these cities increased by an average of 4°C. To determine the death toll, the researchers used proven epidemiological models and historical mortality data, including cases where heat was the leading cause of death or worsened the course of chronic diseases.
The researchers emphasized that they used peer-reviewed methods to quickly calculate the estimated death toll, as most heat deaths are not recorded in official statistics and some states do not disclose the data. Western Europe recorded its hottest June on record, with most of the region under “very severe heat stress”.
