Germany recorded 99 drowning deaths in June, the highest monthly toll in more than two decades, as extreme temperatures swept across the country, authorities confirmed. The victims were predominantly young men, with 40 of them under 30 years old, making up the largest age group among those whose ages were known. More than 90% of the drowning victims were male, according to Germany's lifeguarding federation.
Heatwave Drives Deadly Toll
Temperatures in Germany soared to as high as 41.7C (107.1F) in some areas during June, contributing to the spike in drownings. The German Lifeguarding Federation stated that the country had not seen such a high number of drownings since the heatwave of June 2003, when 107 people died. The federation noted that many of the victims were young men who may have underestimated the risks of swimming in lakes and rivers during the hot weather.
The World Health Organization reported that more than 1,300 people across Europe died in the blazing start to the summer. Drowning deaths have risen across the continent, with France's sports minister, Marina Ferrari, stating on Friday that drowning was the cause of death for 131 people in France since 19 June.
Heat-Related Deaths in Germany
Germany's main public health institute, the Robert Koch Institute, reported that the country recorded at least 5,120 heat-related deaths this year, most of them in June. About 4,270 of those were people aged 75 and older. The institute warned that human-caused climate breakdown is supercharging extreme weather events, driving more frequent and deadly disasters such as heatwaves and wildfires.
France Battles Extreme Heat
In France, the third heatwave since May prompted early closures of the Eiffel Tower and other Paris landmarks. Twenty-four of France's departments, home to 22.2 million people, were placed under the maximum alert level by the national weather service, Météo-France. The Eiffel Tower operator announced that the monument would close early at 4pm on Saturday and Sunday due to forecast high temperatures. The 330-metre-high structure, which attracts 7 million tourists annually, usually stays open past midnight during the high season.
The Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay also implemented early closures. The Louvre, the most visited museum in the world, closed at 4pm from Friday until Monday, while the Musée d'Orsay closed early from 5pm on Saturday until Wednesday due to extreme heat.
Tour de France Stage Shortened
The Tour de France cycling race organizers shortened Sunday's 185.5-km stage by 30km, cutting out a hilly loop, because of the intense heat. This was the first time in the race's history that such a decision was taken. Belgian cyclist Tim Merlier, who won Saturday's stage, welcomed the news, saying, 'We are now one week of racing; it was always above 35C degrees. It's definitely a fight to have water, ice and drinks between the [support] cars.'
Many towns across France cancelled their Bastille Day firework displays on 14 July due to the increased risk of fires amid dry conditions. French President Emmanuel Macron called for vigilance, warning that nine out of 10 fires were caused by human activity. 'A single second of inattention can put families at risk, endanger those who protect us and destroy our countryside,' he wrote on X.
Excess Deaths in France
France recorded more than 2,000 excess deaths during the June heatwave, and 300 during the high temperatures in late May, according to official figures. The government has faced criticism for being 'unprepared' for the extreme weather.
Spain Wildfire Contained
In Spain, a wildfire that killed at least 12 people as they tried to flee in the south has been contained, allowing about 1,500 evacuees to return home. The head of the regional government of Andalucía, Juan Manuel Moreno, said, 'The fire has been contained within its perimeter and brought under control, with no danger of flames spreading. This is, so to speak, the beginning of the end of a terrifying wildfire that has set records for how quickly it spread.'
About 600 people evacuated from the fire zone in Spain's Almería province were allowed to return home late on Saturday, with the remaining 1,000 evacuees expected to return in stages. Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, is scheduled to visit the devastated area on Monday. Officials have said many of the victims could be foreign nationals, including a number of Britons.
The son of a Belgian man who died in the Spanish wildfires disputed authorities' claims that his father and other victims ignored official advice to shelter in place. Belgian virologist Thomas-Wolf Verdonckt told Reuters that he spoke to his father, 63-year-old businessman Stanislas Verdonckt, by phone just before 9pm on Thursday as the fire advanced on the mountain village of Bédar in Almería. 'The people who died did not fail to follow any orders because no orders were given. No information was provided,' Verdonckt said. 'They only started to run when the flames were almost upon them. That was their absolute last resort.'
