More than ۲,۷۰۰ deaths linked to heatwaves in UK

The UK has experienced two record heatwaves this year, with temperatures in England reaching ۳۵.۱C in May and ۳۷.۷C in June.

More than ۲,۷۰۰ deaths across England and Wales have been linked to unprecedented heatwaves in the United Kingdom in May and June, according to new research.

There were ۵۵۰ heat-related deaths between May ۲۱ and ۲۹, and nearly ۲,۲۰۰ people died between June ۱۸ and ۲۸, scientists estimated in the study published on Monday.

Researchers from Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine used weather data, climate models and studies on excess deaths during the extreme weather to arrive at their estimate.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it would publish its official estimate of heat-related deaths in the coming weeks, based on death records from recent heatwaves.

Climate change driving heatwaves

The UK and much of Europe have already experienced two record-breaking heatwaves this year, with temperatures in England reaching ۳۵.۱C (۹۵.۲F) in May and ۳۷.۷C (۹۹.۹F) in June.

“They were extreme heatwaves for the UK, and for all parts of Western Europe, and they’re particularly exceptional for the timing and how early in the year they occurred,” said Mark McCarthy, the science manager at the Met’s climate attribution team.

Scientists emphasised the role of climate change in making heatwaves more intense and frequent.

They estimated that maximum daytime temperatures were up to ۴C (۷.۲F) higher than they would have been without global warming.

The Climate Change Committee (CCC), the body responsible for advising the British government on climate change, warned last year that the UK was “not ready” to deal with the consequences of climate change.

Lea Berrang Ford at UKHSA’s Centre for Climate and Health Security says the study released on Monday would “help illustrate the scale of risk associated with extreme heat and the growing threat climate change poses to our wellbeing”.

In a report published in May, it estimated that ۹۲ percent of British homes could be too hot by ۲۰۵۰.

It said the government should set maximum temperature limits in the workplace, as well as invest in air conditioning for public buildings such as hospitals and schools in preparation for extreme weather.

The research on heat-related deaths in the UK comes as data showed that more than ۱۰,۰۰۰ excess deaths were recorded across Europe during the heatwaves across the west ⁠of the continent ⁠in late June.

EuroMOMO, a network backed ⁠by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization, said most of those deaths were among people aged ۶۵ and above, with ۹,۰۰۰ excess deaths reported in that age range.

Scientists pooled national mortality statistics from ۲۷ European countries in June and concluded that, without other notable factors such as COVID-۱۹ outbreaks, the heatwave is most likely to have ⁠contributed to the spike of ۱۰,۶۵۰ excess deaths between June ۲۲ and ۲۸.