Paris/IBNS, July 5 -- Europe is grappling with one of the deadliest weather disasters in its modern history after an unprecedented late-June heatwave is estimated to have claimed more than 20,000 lives across the continent.

While countries from Spain to Germany experienced record-breaking temperatures, France emerged as one of the worst-hit nations, with thousands of excess deaths reported within days.

The catastrophe has once again placed climate change, urban planning and one of Europe's most contentious issues-air conditioning-at the centre of public debate.

According to an early scientific estimate reported by New Scientist, the June 2026 heatwave may have caused around 20,000 excess deaths across Europe, making it one of the conti...