Since the start of 2026, 14,000 people have died in Germany from the effects of extreme heat, with women disproportionately affected, according to infohub.kz.
According to data published on the official website of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), as of August 20, the estimated number of heat-related deaths has reached 14,000. The largest share of deaths occurs among people aged 85 and older.
The Robert Koch Institute conducts weekly monitoring of heat-related mortality during the summer, in parallel with data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). The number of deaths is estimated using a mathematical method, as heat is rarely listed as the direct cause of death in medical certificates, but it exacerbates chronic diseases. Scientists compare the average mortality rate of previous years with figures during heatwaves, and any excess is attributed to weather conditions.
Earlier reports indicated that since the beginning of 2026, heat in Germany had claimed nearly 10,000 lives, marking the highest toll in a decade.