More than 2,700 deaths across England and Wales have been linked to the intense heatwaves that struck the United Kingdom (UK) in May and June, according to a new study released on Monday.

Researchers estimated that 550 people died during the heatwave between May 21 and 29, while nearly 2,200 more deaths were associated with the extreme temperatures recorded between June 18 and 28.

The findings were produced by scientists from Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, per a report by Al Jazeera. The team used weather observations, climate models and previous research on excess deaths during periods of extreme heat to estimate the toll.

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The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it will publish its official assessment of heat-related deaths in the coming weeks after analysing death registration data.

Scientists point to climate change

The UK experienced two unusually early and intense heatwaves this year, with temperatures reaching 35.1 degree Celsius in May and climbing to 37.7 degrees in June.

Explaining the significance of the events, Mark McCarthy, science manager at the Met Office’s climate attribution team, told Al Jazeera, “They were extreme heatwaves for the UK, and for all parts of Western Europe, and they’re particularly exceptional for the timing and how early in the year they occurred.”

Researchers said climate change had made the heatwaves significantly more severe. According to the study, maximum daytime temperatures were as much as 4 degree Celsius higher than they would have been without global warming.

Warnings over future risks

The UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC) had warned last year that the country was “not ready” to cope with the impacts of climate change.

Per Al Jazeera, Lea Berrang Ford, from the UKHSA’s Centre for Climate and Health Security, said the latest findings would “help illustrate the scale of risk associated with extreme heat and the growing threat climate change poses to our wellbeing”.

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Parts of the UK are already experiencing their third heatwave of the year. Figures from the first week of July | X/@metoffice

Earlier this year, the committee also estimated that 92 per cent of homes in Britain could become too hot by 2050. It recommended setting maximum workplace temperature limits and increasing investment in cooling systems for hospitals, schools and other public buildings.

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Europe also records excess deaths

The UK findings come as Europe reported a wider rise in heat-related deaths during the late June heatwave.

According to EuroMOMO, more than 10,000 excess deaths were recorded across 27 European countries between June 22 and 28. The network said around 9,000 of those deaths were among people aged 65 years and above, with researchers concluding that the extreme heat was the most likely factor behind the sharp increase.

FAQs:

How many deaths have been linked to the UK heatwaves?

Researchers estimate that more than 2,700 deaths in England and Wales were linked to the May and June heatwaves.

What caused the intense UK heatwaves?

Researchers said climate change made the heatwaves more intense, with temperatures estimated to be up to 4 degrees higher than they would have been otherwise.