Belgium has recorded the highest death toll in Europe during the heatwave at the end of June, the Belgian news agency Belga reported, citing data from EuroMOMO - a European network that compares mortality rates in over 20 countries, BTA reported.
According to data from the Belgian health institute Sciensano, during the heatwave the country recorded over 2,000 more deaths than usual. The excess mortality rate reached 48%, which is significantly higher than that recorded in France (23%) and the Netherlands (13%), although temperatures in both countries were similarly high.
People in poorer areas were the hardest hit. According to biostatistician Gert Molenbergs from the universities of Leuven and Hasselt, there are significant differences between Flanders and Wallonia, with socio-economic factors playing an important role.
"In a large single-family house surrounded by greenery, temperatures are lower than in a small apartment where many people live," he explains.
Even if we take the Flanders region alone, 31% of deaths were recorded, which is still more than those recorded in France and the Netherlands. According to Molenbergs, this shows that the way Belgium is built also contributes to the more severe consequences of the heat.
The expert noted that the way the data is analyzed also matters. If we look only at northern France, the number of deaths is similar to those in Belgium. However, in the southern and especially southeastern parts of France, mortality has hardly increased, as these regions are better adapted to prolonged high temperatures.