Heatwaves across Germany this year have led to an estimated 12,500 deaths so far, significantly more than seen in entire past years, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) public health authority reported on Thursday.
In its latest weekly report, the RKI noted that in the last decade even years such as 2018, when there were 9,400 killed by heat, and in 2019, when 7,700 died from high temperatures, are much lower than this year's figures to date. Thursday's report covers April 6 to August 2.
The RKI said its 2026 figures are conservative estimates, so the total number of heat-related deaths this year could be even higher.
There were many heat-related deaths in the states of Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate. Per 100,000 inhabitants, 43.4 and 38.7 people respectively died as a result of the heat. Nationwide, the figure is 15 per 100,000 inhabitants. Hesse (27.2) and Baden-Württemberg (23.9) are also disproportionately affected.
Heat is especially dangerous for older residents. At around 6,300, the most deaths were recorded in the age group 85 years or older. More than 3,100 of those who died were aged between 75 and 84, nearly 1,900 between 65 and 74. Among those under 65, there were around 1,200 deaths.
A severe heatwave at the end of June this year took an especially tough toll, with the RKI expecting that around 9,600 people died as a result of heat in the week from June 22 to 28 alone. In many places in Germany, temperatures were around 40 degrees Celsius on those days.
