Germany reports around 14,000 heat-related deaths this year

Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has released updated estimates showing that approximately 14,000 heat-related deaths were recorded in the country between April 6 and August 9. This figure already exceeds totals from previous years, which are typically calculated over an entire year.

For comparison, around 9,400 people died from heat-related causes in Germany in 2018, and about 7,600 died in 2019. This year's toll has already surpassed both of those years, even though the warm season is not yet over.

RKI stresses that the 2026 figures remain estimates and that the total number of heat-related deaths for the full year could turn out to be even higher. Just a week earlier, the institute had estimated that heat waves this year had caused around 12,500 deaths.

Elderly people hit hardest

The vast majority of deaths occurred among older people. The age group of 85 and above recorded 7,040 deaths, the highest number among all age brackets. Around 3,450 deaths were recorded among people aged 75 to 84, while 2,170 deaths occurred in the 65-to-74 age group.

June heat wave was decisive

A large share of the deaths was linked to the heat wave experienced in June. According to RKI data, of the roughly 14,000 total deaths recorded this year, about 9,600 occurred between June 22 and June 28, when temperatures in many parts of Germany approached 40 degrees Celsius.