Germany recorded around 14,000 heat-related deaths this summer as a series of intense heatwaves swept across Europe, according to official data released Thursday.

The figure surpasses Germany’s previous record of approximately 8,900 heat-related deaths recorded in 2018, highlighting the severe impact of this summer’s extreme temperatures.

The Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s public health authority, said around 9,600 of the estimated deaths occurred during a single week in late June, when temperatures across parts of the country exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.

People aged over 75 accounted for the largest proportion of heat-related deaths, the institute said.

The institute explained that extreme heat can sometimes cause death directly, as in cases of heatstroke. However, most heat-related deaths occur when high temperatures worsen existing health conditions.

“In some cases — such as heatstroke — exposure to heat leads directly to death, whereas in most instances, death results from a combination of heat exposure and pre-existing medical conditions,” the report said.

Because heat is often not recorded as the underlying cause of death on death certificates, authorities rely on statistical methods to estimate the number of deaths associated with extreme temperatures.

The Robert Koch Institute said the sharp differences in heat-related mortality from year to year reflect the varying severity of heatwaves.

While approximately 8,900 heat-related deaths were recorded in 2018, the estimated number fell to around 2,000 or fewer in years such as 2016.

“These differences can be attributed to the varying severity of the heatwaves,” the institute said.

The latest figures underscore the growing public health risks posed by prolonged periods of extreme heat, particularly for elderly people and those with underlying health conditions. (ILKHA)