More than 10,000 deaths were recorded across Europe during a record-breaking heat wave in western parts of the continent in late June, according to official mortality figures cited by Reuters.Data released by EuroMoMo, a mortality monitoring network supported by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), showed that 10,650 additional deaths were recorded during the week of June 22 to June 28, the peak of summer in France, Spain, Britain and several other countries.More than 9,000 of these deaths were among people aged 65 and older, highlighting the severe impact of extreme heat on older populations.Scientists say the heatwave in late June would have been “almost impossible” without human-caused climate change, which is making heatwaves more frequent, intense and longer-lasting, the agency reports.Extreme heat can prove fatal by triggering heat stroke or exacerbating existing cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, with elderly people being most vulnerable.The EuroMoMo figures are based on national death statistics from 27 European countries and measure excess deaths from all causes, not just those officially classified as heat-related.The researchers said there were no other major contributing factors, such as the Covid-19 outbreak, that could explain the sharp increase in deaths during the week. The agency said the figures may be revised as additional data becomes available.While Euromomo does not publish country-wise excess mortality figures, it said France and Belgium were the only countries to record “very high excess mortality” during the last week of June.Belgian public health institute Scienceno said the country had the highest death toll during a heatwave since records began in 2000.The heatwave disrupted daily life across Europe, causing power outages, school closures and record-breaking temperatures in countries including France, Spain and the United Kingdom.A separate scientific study published on Monday estimated that about 2,700 people died from heat-related causes in England and Wales during the heatwave in May and June.Researchers from Imperial College London, the UK Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that 42% of those deaths were caused by excess heat caused by climate change.Germany has recorded an estimated 5,120 heat-related deaths so far this year, according to the country’s public health agency, the majority of which occurred during the intense heat wave in late June.Drowning incidents also increased sharply due to extreme weather. According to The Guardian, 99 people drowned in June, making it the country’s highest monthly drowning figure in more than two decades.Temperatures reached 41.7°C (107.1°F) in parts of Germany during the heat wave, forcing large numbers of people to seek relief in lakes, rivers and other water bodies.Authorities said most of the victims were young men, with 40 victims under the age of 30. According to the German Lifesaving Federation, more than 90% of those who died were men.Scientists have repeatedly warned that climate change is increasing both the intensity and frequency of extreme heat events, making heatwaves one of the deadliest weather-related threats worldwide.