Severe Heatwave Claims Lives Across Southern Europe
Southern Europe is enduring a severe heatwave, with temperatures soaring up to 46 degrees Celsius in Spain’s Huelva region, marking a new national record for June. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a concerning forecast, predicting that excess deaths due to the heat could exceed 4,500 between June 30 and July 3, particularly affecting countries such as Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Luxembourg, reports 24brussels.
Marisol Yglesias Gonzalez, a technical officer for climate change and health at the WHO in Bonn, stated, “It’s no longer a question of if we will have a heatwave, but how many are we going to experience this year and how long will they last.” The situation is exacerbated by the ongoing impacts of climate change driven by fossil fuel emissions, leading to more frequent and severe heatwaves.
Pierre Masselot, a statistician at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, indicated that the most critical days of the heatwave are likely to be Tuesday and Wednesday, with areas already under health risk warnings. Almost two-thirds of Spanish towns have received alerts, including 804 at the highest alert level. Heat warnings are also in effect in neighboring countries such as France, Italy, Portugal, and Greece.
Research indicates that heat-related fatalities in the WHO European region exceed 175,000 annually, according to the organization. A major study co-authored by Masselot warns that these numbers are projected to rise dramatically without significant climate adaptation measures.
In addition to health risks from extreme temperatures, the Greek government has issued warnings regarding air pollution due to wildfires near coastal towns close to Athens. Concurrently, Turkey has evacuated over 50,000 individuals as wildfires approach Izmir.
As the heatwave continues, authorities across affected nations are urging vigilance and preparedness to mitigate the potential health impacts on vulnerable populations.
