Heat-related mortality in Belgium during June was the highest among European Union countries, according to a report by the newspaper Nieuwsblad citing a study.
Reports indicate that 2,000 more people died in the country during the heatwave than the average for that time of year, resulting in an excess mortality rate of 48%.
This figure is the highest in Europe and significantly exceeds the rates seen in neighboring countries that experienced similar temperature spikes; specifically, excess mortality was 23% in France and 13% in the Netherlands.
On July 23, Bloomberg reported that the June heatwave sweeping across Europe cost the UK economy $1.5 billion. Researchers noted that the recorded temperatures were the highest in Europe’s history. Extreme weather conditions caused approximately 2,700 additional deaths in England and Wales.
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