A new study has estimated that at least 2,700 people died in England and Wales due to severe heatwaves that struck during May and June, highlighting the growing impact of climate change on public health.
The research was conducted by Imperial College London, the UK Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Scientists used weather records, climate models, and previous studies on heat-related deaths to estimate the number of fatalities linked to the extreme temperatures.
The United Kingdom and much of Europe experienced two major heatwaves during the period. England recorded maximum temperatures of 35.1°C in May and 37.7°C in June, making them some of the hottest early summer conditions on record.
According to the study, around 550 deaths occurred during the heatwave between May 21 and May 29, while nearly 2,200 deaths were linked to the more intense heatwave from June 18 to June 28.
Researchers said climate change significantly increased the intensity of the heatwaves, estimating that daytime temperatures were 3°C to 4°C higher than they would have been without global warming.
Mark McCarthy of the Met Office said the heatwaves were particularly unusual because they arrived so early in the year. Meanwhile, Lea Berrang Ford of the UK Health Security Agency warned that the findings demonstrate the increasing health risks posed by climate change.
The UK Health Security Agency is expected to release its official heat-related mortality figures in the coming weeks, while experts continue urging stronger climate adaptation measures.
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