In Germany, nearly 10,000 people have died due to the heat since the beginning of the year
In Germany, nearly 10,000 people have died since the beginning of 2026 due to abnormally high temperatures. This estimate was released by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), which monitors the impact of heat on public health.
As of July 19, the number of heat-related deaths stands at 9,800, according to the RKI’s latest weekly report. This is more than in any single year since 2016.
According to the data, 2018 saw the highest number of heat-related deaths in the past ten years—with approximately 9,000 deaths recorded for the entire year.
Most of the heat-related deaths in 2026—more than 5,000—occurred during the hot days of the second half of June, when temperatures reached 40 degrees in many regions of Germany as a result of a heat wave.
In 2026, between early April and July 12, an estimated 7,900 people died from the heat. During the week of July 13–19, another 1,900 people were added to that total.
According to the RKI, mortality rates are generally significantly higher during weeks with an average temperature above 20 degrees than during cooler summer weeks.
The analysis is based on data from 52 weather stations of the German Weather Service (DWD).
According to the RKI, the average weekly temperature for the week of July 13–19 was 20.9 degrees. Twelve federal states recorded average temperatures above 20 degrees.
This was reported by Die Zeit.
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