UK heatwaves sees 2,700 deaths as record-breaking temperatures continue across UK

UK heatwaves sees 2,700 deaths as record-breaking temperatures continue across UK Researchers estimate that over 2,700 people in England and Wales have died due to heat-related causes in the extreme heat across recent months as experts issue heatwave warning Over 2,700 people in England and Wales have died from heat-related causes in the recent record-breaking heatwaves, according to experts. The research carried out by Imperial College London, the Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) estimated that there were around 2,700 excess deaths in England and Wales over the two heatwaves in May and June. Of these deaths, 42% died as a result of the extra heat caused by human activity - mostly burning fossil fuels. During the nine days of May heat, around 550 people were estimated to have died of heat-related causes. Around 2,200 are thought to have died due to the same causes across 11 days of extreme heat in June. These figures do not account for any deaths in the most recent spat of warm temperatures. The experts found that around 59% of the deaths in May, some 327 people, and 38%, some 825 people, of those in June could be attributed to the extra heat caused by climate change. Climate change has caused the daily temperatures to climb about 3C - 4C hotter. The humidity levels were also particularly high during the June heatwave. Dr Clair Barnes, research associate in extreme weather and climate change at Imperial College London, said: "We all love the sun, but people need to be aware that we are now seeing dangerous climate-change fuelled heat that is claiming lives, disrupting schools and hospitals and shutting down transport and infrastructure. "It's time we woke up to the fact that we now live in a country with dangerously hot summers. "To protect people during future extremes, we must urgently adapt to the reality of the climate we now have, and double down on global efforts to reach net zero emissions to stop this from getting worse." The research used historical mortality records and established peer-reviewed methods to model fatalities during both heatwaves. Dr Mark McCarthy, manager of climate attribution at the Met Office, said it's "clear that human-caused climate change is leading to more frequent and more intense summer heatwaves". "This intensification is driving many impacts, including those affecting human health and mortality and other issues, such as agriculture, effects on transport infrastructure and biodiversity." The death rate was similar in the Midlands and southern England, despite warmer temperatures in the south. It is expected this could be due to those further north being less exposed to regular heat henceforth being more vulnerable. Frequent heatwaves are "rapidly evolving into a major health risk for people in the UK," according to LSHTM assistant professor in climate and geo-spatial modelling, Dr Malcolm Mistry. He said: "It is vital that action on adapting Britain's homes, workplaces, and critical infrastructure to extreme heat outpaces these health risks, especially if we are to protect those most vulnerable to its impacts, such as older people, babies, and children." During these heatwaves several health alerts have been issued across the nation. Head of the UK Health Security Agency's Centre for Climate and Health Security, Professor Lea Berrang Ford said: "These modelled estimates are based on past trends in temperature effects on mortality and provide an important indication of the potential health impacts of sustained hot weather , particularly for the most vulnerable among us."