WHO warns Europe faces more deadly heat as highs near 43C
What's new: Preliminary estimates linked 3,700 excess deaths in France, the Netherlands and Belgium to the late-June heatwave.
The World Health Organization warned Europe could face another stretch of deadly heat, with a new heatwave building over the Atlantic and temperatures in Portugal and southern Spain expected to reach 43 degrees Celsius in the coming days. WHO Europe chief Hans Kluge held an emergency call with representatives from 41 countries, the European Commission and civil society groups after the June 20-28 heatwave, which experts described as Europe’s most severe on record. Preliminary figures showed 3,700 excess deaths in France, the Netherlands and Belgium. WHO said fewer than half of its European member states have heat-health action plans, and vulnerable groups such as care home residents, homeless people and isolated older adults remain inconsistently protected.