Heatwaves have killed hundreds of Londoners so far this year, according to new research.
Experts at Imperial College London, the Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) estimated there were 2,700 excess deaths in England and Wales over the May and June heatwaves.
In the capital, the heatwave death toll was 109 in May and 344 in June, according to the study which stressed that in both months “warming was strongest in the urban heat island of Greater London”.
Temperatures hit a new record high in May for the UK with a reading of 35.1°C at Kew Gardens, south west London, on the 26th.
In the capital’s commuter belt and wider South East there were 110 excess heat-related deaths in May and 439 in June which also saw record temperatures, the report found.
So, the combined heatwave death total for London and the South East was 1,002 in May and June.
Dr Clair Barnes, from Imperial College London, warned that heatwaves are the “most dangerous kind of extreme weather”.
As the capital has been frazzling in its third heatwave of the year, she stressed: “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.”
Six out of ten of the excess heat-related deaths in London in May were attributed to climate change and four out of ten in the June heatwave.
“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,” Dr Barnes added.
Daytime record temperatures have been followed by tropical nights in London, and some other regions, where temperatures do not fall below 20C.
About six out of ten of the heat-related deaths across the country were people aged 85 or older.
But in London, previous research has highlighted how younger Londoners are also at risk, possibly due to commuting on the Tube in high temperatures, housing overcrowding and the ‘urban heat island’ effect.
The hot weather is also showing little sign of easing, with wildfires and other blazes erupting in the capital including in Walthamstow and Stratford.
London’s NHS chief Dr Chris Streather told The Standard: “If the weather carries on being this hot, there will be an increase in deaths, and they are mainly from heart attacks, strokes and respiratory illness.”
He urged people to take precautions to protect themselves against the heat and stressed the longer term issue of needing to tackle climate change.
After accounting for population size, during the May heatwave the hardest hit regions per 1,000,000 people were the South West, London and the South East.
During the June heatwave the heat-related mortality rate per 1,000,000 population was highest in the West Midlands, South East and South West.
The researchers suggested that the high death toll in the West Midlands may be partly due to people in this area having adapted less to hot weather than those living in London and the wider South.
High temperatures are associated with risks including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, stress on the heart and kidneys and worsening chronic conditions such as heart disease, lung conditions and diabetes.
They also worsen mental health, violence and increase the risk of death from drowning.
London Ambulance Service had the busiest week in its history during the June heatwave, with a record number of life-threatening emergencies.
Responding to the analysis, the service urged Londoners to take simple steps such as avoiding excessive alcohol consumption to stay safe during the hot weather.
Alison Blakely, deputy chief paramedic, said: “As temperatures remain high, we would urge Londoners to take the heat seriously, stay hydrated and avoid strenuous activity such as running during the hottest parts of the day, as it puts extra strain on your heart and lungs.”
The Met Office’s Dr Mark McCarthy described the two record-breaking heatwaves as “exceptional”.
Global warming is making heatwaves more frequent and intense, he added.
The researchers warned that maximum daytime temperatures are around 3C to 4C hotter than they would be without climate change.
The Government’s independent advisers, the Climate Change Committee, has warned that the UK is unprepared for extreme heat, which could see 92% of homes overheating by mid century, and has called for maximum temperature rules in workplaces and air conditioning in hospitals, care homes and schools.
Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband, said: “The Government will not leave our children and grandchildren to face the costs of climate breakdown and nature loss.”
On the heatwave fatality report, Green Party leader Zack Polanski added: “These deaths are on the hands of politicians who have failed to act over the years.”
