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Heatwaves in Europe in summer 2026

Since late May 2026 successive heatwaves have affected more than 18 European countries, with temperature records in France, Germany, Hungary and Italy, among others.

According to a compilation of national excess mortality estimates, the heatwaves may have caused about 36,000 deaths in total, most of them in Germany and France. The heat was accompanied by drought, record-low levels of the Rhine, Danube and Elbe, and power outages. World Weather Attribution assessed the event as the most severe heatwave recorded in the region studied.

Numbers with sources

Needs

• health
• water and sanitation

Who is helping

Organisations that, according to their own publications, work on this event (3). Donations go directly to each organisation's own website - GLOBURNS does not handle payments.

• French Red Cross (CRf)
  The French Red Cross runs social support, emergency response and care facilities. During the summer 2026 heatwaves it stepped up outreach to isolated and homeless…
  Donate on the organisation's website (donner.croix-rouge.fr)
• German Red Cross (DRK)
  The German Red Cross provides rescue services, social care and disaster relief. In summer 2026 its Berlin branches ran mobile heat relief for homeless people under the…
  Donate on the organisation's website (drk.de)
• Italian Red Cross (CRI)
  The Italian Red Cross provides disaster relief, health care and migrant reception (more than 40 reception facilities and presence in all ports). In July 2026 it launched…
  Donate on the organisation's website (dona.cri.it)

Sources

• en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_European_heatwaves
• worldweatherattribution.org worldweatherattribution.org/

Seed record, before editorial verification. Every number links to its source; report errors on the Corrections page. Methodology · Corrections

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