More than 50,000 people died in Europe due to extreme heat this summer, according to a study published by the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London.

They calculated 50,391 excess heat-related mortality in 854 European cities over the summer, the study said.

Excess mortality reflects the difference between the actual number of deaths and the expected number.

As the researchers wrote, these cities are home to about 173 million people in total. The highest mortality rates were recorded among people over 85 years old. By region, the lowest mortality rates were in northern Europe, the highest in southern Europe. Malta, Italy, Hungary, and Croatia were the most affected by the heat.

Researchers estimate that temperatures across Europe are now about 2.5 degrees Celsius warmer than in a scenario without human-induced global warming. Of the more than 50,000 deaths, 65 percent (32,600) were likely to be caused by human-induced climate change, the study found.

Researchers estimate that about a third of all this excess mortality occurred between June 17 and July 1, when the average daily temperature in Europe was 5.3 degrees Celsius above normal.

In 2025, the number of excess mortality from heat was almost half that (24,500).

The study, however, only looked at urban populations, which make up about 40 percent of the total population in the 30 countries studied.

The researchers conclude that the final figure for excess mortality in Europe should be even higher.

They conclude that this summer was likely to be the most dangerous summer in Europe's history in terms of heat.

This summer, Europe experienced its hottest period in recent years. Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and Greece suffered the most.