Germany's Robert Koch Institute for disease control announced Thursday that around 12,500 people have died as a result of heatwaves that swept the country this year.
According to a new report, the institute recorded the highest heat-related death toll this year between April 6 and August 2, surpassing figures from previous years, particularly 2018 and 2019, which also saw unusually high temperatures and significant numbers of heat-related deaths.
The report noted that 9,400 people died from heat in 2018, while the figure reached around 7,700 in 2019. Older people were the most vulnerable, with approximately 6,300 deaths among those aged over 85, more than 3,100 among those aged 75-84, around 1,900 among those aged 65-74, and about 1,200 among people under 65.
The institute also recorded nearly 9,600 heat-related deaths in a single week, from June 22 to 28, when temperatures reached the 40°C range across large parts of Germany.
The estimates were based on mortality data from Germany's Federal Statistical Office, along with data from 52 weather stations operated by the German Meteorological Service.
