Germany recorded about 14,000 heat-related deaths over the summer
Germany recorded about 14,000 heat-related deaths this summer, France 24 reports, citing data from the Robert Koch Institute. The figure exceeded the previous record set in 2018, when 8,900 such deaths were recorded in the country.
Approximately 9,600 deaths occurred during a single week in late June, when temperatures in Germany exceeded 40°C. The largest proportion of heat-related deaths occurred among people over the age of 75.
The Robert Koch Institute explained that heat sometimes directly causes death, particularly through heatstroke. At the same time, in most cases, death results from a combination of high temperatures and pre-existing medical conditions. For this reason, heat is not usually listed as the primary cause of death on a death certificate, and the number of such cases is estimated using statistical methods.
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The heat and drought have also caused wildfires, reduced crop yields, and caused water levels to drop in major rivers used for freight transport. In 2016 and in some other years, the Robert Koch Institute recorded 2,000 or fewer heat-related deaths.
Ministers from Germany’s Social Democratic Party have proposed enshrining the need to adapt to climate change and preserve nature in the country’s Basic Law. They also called for changes to urban planning regulations, building codes, and labor laws to account for working in high temperatures.
Former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach stated that the actual number of deaths may be higher than statistical estimates. The Association of German Cities and Municipalities previously reported that at least 20 billion euros in investments are needed to adapt hospitals and care facilities, many of which lack air conditioning.
