More than 2,700 deaths across England and Wales have been linked to unprecedented heatwaves in May and June, according to research published Monday.
Counting The Cost
There were 550 heat-related deaths between May 21 and 29, and nearly 2,200 between June 18 and 28, scientists estimated in the study. 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 to arrive at the figure. The UK Health Security Agency said it would publish its own official estimate in the coming weeks.
How Hot, Exactly
The UK and much of Europe have already endured two record-breaking heatwaves this year, with temperatures in England reaching 35.1°C (95.2°F) in May and 37.7°C (99.9°F) in June. Scientists estimated maximum daytime temperatures were up to 4°C (7.2°F) higher than they would have been without global warming. Across Western Europe, more than 10,000 excess deaths were recorded during late-June heatwaves, most among people aged 65 and above.