Heatwave in Europe: deaths, damage, and misinformation
A severe heatwave in Europe has caused hundreds of deaths and infrastructure damage, but social media also spreads exaggerations and false claims, fueled by a Latvian party.
Heatwave facts and misinformation
Europe is experiencing a severe heatwave that has led to fatalities, infrastructure problems, and a surge in demand for air conditioning. At the same time, misinformation and exaggerations are spreading online, amplified by the Latvian party “Tautas varas spēks” (TVS) on its Telegram channel.
In France, the heat since June 24 has caused approximately 1,000 excess deaths, according to the French Public Health Agency. Home deaths increased by 40%, and 85% of the victims were over 65. The situation has strained healthcare facilities and morgues.
In Germany, extreme heat has deformed road surfaces and railway tracks, forcing train cancellations. About 13,000 kilometers of highways have bitumen melting in places, reports “Tagesschau.de”. Demand for air conditioning has risen sharply in France, Spain, Germany, and the UK.
Exaggerations and falsehoods
TVS’s Telegram channel claimed that traffic lights are melting in Germany due to heat, attaching a video from Berlin. However, German media has no reports of such incidents; other traffic lights in the video work normally, and commenters suggest a car or trash fire as the likely cause.
Similarly, the claim that a cardiology hospital in Düsseldorf has +38°C because of “green technologies” is exaggerated. Green technologies aim to reduce environmental impact without sacrificing comfort. The photo of doctors in cooling vests comes from a Dutch company that developed them during the COVID-19 pandemic for use in protective suits. There is no evidence that they are now widely used indoors due to heat.
Scientists agree that such a heatwave would be nearly impossible without human-caused climate change. The cause is an atmospheric circulation pattern that creates a “heat dome” trapping hot air, and global warming makes heatwaves more intense.
