The United Kingdom is enduring its third heatwave of the year, with amber health alerts extended to all but one region of England. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) expanded the warnings on Thursday, affecting health and social care services. The Met Office predicts high temperatures will persist into next week, potentially matching the duration of the 1976 heatwave that killed 250 people.
Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record, scientists confirmed on Thursday, with high ocean temperatures threatening marine life. In the UK, Thursday marked the eighth day this year with temperatures over 34C, surpassing previous records set in 2020 and 1976. A provisional high of 35C was recorded in Surrey, though lower than the June peak of 37.7C in Norfolk.
Friederike Otto, climate science professor at Imperial College London, said such heatwaves are made hotter by climate change driven by fossil fuel burning. She warned that the term 'new normal' is misleading as the climate continues to warm, leading to even more intense heatwaves in future.
Across Europe, the death toll from recent heatwaves is mounting. Belgium reported 1,747 excess deaths in June, while Germany registered 5,120 heat-related deaths this summer. Early estimates suggest the continent-wide toll could exceed 20,000. In France, a nuclear reactor shut down in the heat, and scientists urged better housing insulation and more green spaces to combat rising temperatures.
The NHS in England reported record A&E attendances in June, averaging over 80,000 daily. The national medical director said summer is placing as much strain on the health service as winter. One ambulance trust noted a 118% rise in calls directing people to defibrillators for suspected cardiac arrests. Over 1,000 schools closed or partially closed during the June heatwave, with some repeating the measure this week.
