Thousands may have died in UK's exceptional May and June heatwaves
BBC News 2026-07-12 23:10:23
Context: More than 2,700 people may have died from heat-related causes during the UK's exceptionally hot weather in May and June, according to estimates from a team at Imperial College London, the Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The heatwaves, caused by a "heat dome" made worse by human-induced climate change, were the warmest June on record in England and saw temperatures hit 37.7C at Lingwood, Norfolk. The study uses death records from previous years to model the estimated number of deaths.
Key Facts
- The UK's exceptionally hot weather in May and June may have resulted in approximately 2,700 heat-related deaths, according to estimates from a team of researchers at Imperial College London, the Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
- The June heatwave, which was the warmest June on record in England, saw temperatures reach 37.7C at Lingwood, Norfolk, breaking the previous high of 35.6C set in 1957.
- A rare red heat alert was issued for parts of England and Wales during the June heatwave, warning even healthy people of the significant risk to life.
- Human-induced climate change, which has warmed the planet by around 1.4C since pre-industrial times, added between 3 and 4C to the maximum temperatures recorded in May and June, according to researchers.
- The study's findings may not be exact, as they are based on assumptions about how badly people were affected by the heat, and the researchers hope that by highlighting the dangers of heatwaves, people will change their behavior and reduce the number of heat-related deaths in the future.