Belgium recorded nearly 3,000 additional deaths during the successive heat waves observed since June, according to information from the national public health institute Sciensano. Between July 28 and August 16, the period of the third heat wave in the country, approximately 365 additional deaths were counted. These numbers were released days before the confirmation that this was the hottest summer ever recorded in Belgium.
The nearly 2,600 deaths from the first two heat waves, added to the 365 from the third wave, total nearly 3,000 fatalities related to extreme heat in the European country.
France also recorded its hottest summer ever, joining Belgium and the United Kingdom, which had already confirmed historical temperature records. Europe is considered the continent warming fastest on the planet. The heat waves in France also caused large forest fires.
