Europe heatwave by the numbers

  • 1,300+ excess deaths across Europe since June 21 (WHO)

  • 1,000 additional deaths reported in France in three days

  • 191 million people expected to face temperatures above 35C

  • 381 million forecast to experience temperatures above 30C

  • 41.5C - Germany’s new daytime temperature record

  • 29.4C - Germany’s warmest night on record

  • 85% of France’s excess deaths were among people aged 65+

  • 1,156 lightning strikes recorded in Denmark after storms followed the heatwave

What does ‘excess deaths’ mean?

  • Deaths above the normal expected number for that period.

  • A statistical estimate, not a count of confirmed heat-related deaths.

  • Includes deaths directly or indirectly linked to extreme heat.

  • Used to measure the overall impact of events such as heatwaves.

Fires, storms and disruptions

A Senior Associate Editor with more than 30 years in the media, Stephen N.R. curates, edits and publishes impactful stories for Gulf News — both in print and online — focusing on Middle East politics, student issues and explainers on global topics. Stephen has spent most of his career in journalism, working behind the scenes — shaping headlines, editing copy and putting together newspaper pages with precision. For the past many years, he has brought that same dedication to the Gulf News digital team, where he curates stories, crafts explainers and helps keep both the web and print editions sharp and engaging.