The impact of the ongoing extreme heatwave across Europe has become particularly evident in Germany, where at least 30 people have drowned after entering rivers, lakes and other inland waters in an attempt to escape soaring temperatures. Most of the victims were men, while several teenagers were also among the dead.
Rescue authorities say the prolonged spell of hot weather has led more people to swim in deep or unsupervised waters, contributing to a sharp increase in fatal accidents.
Germany’s German Life Saving Association (DLRG) said it confirmed 26 drowning deaths between Friday and Sunday alone. A further seven fatal incidents were reported separately on Thursday. The organisation had issued public safety warnings before the heatwave, urging people to exercise caution when swimming in rivers and lakes.
On Sunday, rescue teams recovered the body of a 17-year-old boy from Eixer Lake in the state of Lower Saxony. On the same day, the body of a 14-year-old boy was found in Echtz Lake in North Rhine-Westphalia after he had been missing for several days following a boating accident.
The DLRG said its figures include only victims whose identities have been officially confirmed. Search operations remain under way for several missing people in locations including the Elbe River, the Pöhl Reservoir in Saxony, and a former quarry lake in Baden-Württemberg.
Police said a 28-year-old man disappeared after repeatedly diving into a quarry lake in Baden-Württemberg. Despite rescue attempts by friends and a subsequent search by professional divers, he has not been found. Authorities said the lake reaches depths of 30 to 40 metres.
Several other people also remain missing following separate incidents at Neffel Lake, Fühlinger Lake near Cologne, a rubber boat accident in the Wesel district, and off the Baltic Sea coast near Scharbeutz.
DLRG President Ute Vogt said men, in particular, often overestimate their physical abilities, leading them to take unnecessary risks that can prove fatal.
According to the German Weather Service (DWD), temperatures are expected to ease temporarily, but another period of extreme heat could affect parts of the country between 10 and 12 July.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that heatwaves are becoming an increasingly permanent feature of Europe’s changing climate. WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr Hans Kluge said many European countries still lack comprehensive heat action plans.
He pointed to measures such as Barcelona’s network of more than 500 climate shelters and Paris’s dedicated telephone support service for vulnerable residents as examples of effective strategies that other countries could adopt.
According to the WHO, the latest heatwave has been linked to more than 1,300 excess deaths across Europe. France’s Ministry of Health has also reported around 1,000 additional deaths over the past week, with older adults accounting for the majority of the fatalities.
Source: Deutsche Welle (DW), German Life Saving Association (DLRG), and the World Health Organization (WHO).