The Robert Koch Institute announced that the number of victims of the hot weather in Germany this summer reached 15,800 people, the highest rate since 1992.
The institute presented updated data covering the period from the beginning of summer until August 16. The majority of heat-related deaths occurred in the over-75 age group (11,900 deaths). In its analysis, the institute distinguished between two periods of extreme heat. The first occurred at the end of June, and the second encompassed the end of July and mid-August. The largest number of victims—9,600 people—died between June 22 and 28, while another 4,000 died between July 27 and August 16.
This summer saw a new record for heat-related deaths in Germany. According to government data covering the period since 1992, the previous record was held by 1994, when epidemiologists estimated that 10,100 people died due to the heat.
The Robert Koch Institute's estimates are based on data from the Federal Statistical Office and the German Meteorological Service. From June 22 to 28, the average daily temperature in Germany was 26.4 degrees Celsius, while in some areas, the thermometer rose above 40 degrees Celsius during the day.
