According to forecasts from the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium, the country expects a new episode of high temperatures starting this weekend
SANTO DOMINGO— For years, heat waves were considered a phenomenon typical of the European summer. Today, they represent a threat to public health. Belgium has just confirmed that the episode of high temperatures that affected the country between the end of June and the beginning of July resulted in 1,747 additional deaths, the highest excess mortality recorded during a heat wave since measurements began in 2000.
According to the Belgian National Institute of Public Health, cited by EDMO Belux, between June 18 and July 1, the country recorded a 47.8% compared to the expected number of deaths for that period. This figure far exceeds the preliminary count of 1,222 deaths released a week earlier, confirming the magnitude of the event and making it the deadliest heat-related tragedy in Belgium's recent history.
More than just high temperatures: the combination that made the heat wave lethal
Belgian health authorities maintain that the number of deaths cannot be explained solely by the increase in temperature.
According to Sciensano, the episode brought together three factors that considerably increase the health risk: an unusually long duration, exceptionally high temperatures, and high concentrations of ozone, a pollutant that aggravates respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
For ten consecutive days, Belgium endured temperatures close to 30 degrees Celsius, while on three days the thermometers exceeded 35 °C, reaching a maximum of 35.5 °C on June 26, an unusual figure for a country with a temperate climate.
When summer becomes a health emergency
The heat wave exposed the vulnerability of a population historically accustomed to much more moderate summers.
According to preliminary data released by Swissinfo, with information from EFE, more than 530 of the initial victims were people over 85 years old. However, researchers also detected an increase in mortality among people under 65, a pattern not typically observed in these types of outbreaks.
That increase turned the heatwave into the episode with the highest number of daily deaths recorded in Belgium since the first wave of COVID-19, according to an analysis by the Risk Management Group, an organization specializing in health risks.
A crisis that hit all of Europe
Belgium was no exception.
France 24, citing AFP, reported that the heatwave affected hundreds of millions of people in Europe and caused a significant increase in mortality in several countries. France reported more than 2,000 additional deaths in a single week, while Spain attributed more than 1,000 deaths to the heat during June.
The episode also set historic temperature records in Germany, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary, while the United Kingdom, Switzerland and France recorded their warmest June since records began.
The consequences went beyond health. Forest fires, droughts, damage to crops, and strain on healthcare systems marked one of the most intense heat waves the continent has experienced in recent decades.
Transportation suspended, monuments closed, and cities on alert
The impact of the heat also disrupted daily life.
According to Euronews, the high temperatures forced the cancellation of rail services operating without air conditioning, the suspension of bus routes in various regions, and the temporary closure of public spaces such as Brussels' Atomium to protect workers and visitors.
Meteorological authorities also activated the red alert in several provinces, an exceptional measure that had only been used on a few occasions since this warning system began to be applied.
Climate change intensifies episodes that were previously exceptional
While Belgian authorities continue to assess the full impact of the heat wave, scientists agree that these events are becoming more frequent and intense.
Climatologists from World Weather Attribution, quoted by France 24, concluded that the temperatures recorded during the second half of June would have been virtually impossible to achieve in Europe without the influence of climate change caused by human activity.
This assessment coincides with the most recent report from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, released by ColGlobal, which confirmed that Western Europe experienced its warmest June on record, reinforcing a trend that worries health and environmental authorities across the continent.
Another heat wave
The concern does not end with this assessment.
According to forecasts from the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium, the country expects a new episode of high temperatures starting this weekend, with highs that would again exceed 30 degrees Celsius for several consecutive days.
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