An intense heatwave which has been gripping much of continental Europe has brought record-high temperatures to Hungary and Germany, with thousands of heat-related deaths being reported during the sweltering summer.
In Hungary, the highest temperature recorded on Thursday reached a sizzling 41.8 degrees Celsius, breaking the country's 121-year-old national record for that same day, according to the Hungarian Meteorological Service.
The reading was 1.6 degrees Celsius higher than the previous record, according to authorities, who noted the data is based on preliminary monitoring results, and must still be verified and confirmed.
In an earlier joint statement, the National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy and the National Directorate General for Disaster Management warned that persistently high temperatures could affect everyone and urged people to take precautions to protect themselves and those most vulnerable.
The country continues to grapple with one of its most severe heatwaves in recent years, which has intensified drought conditions and lowered water levels in major rivers.
Meanwhile, in Germany, heat-related deaths reached an estimated 11,900 during the first seven months of 2026, already surpassing the full-year totals recorded since 2016, according to a report released Thursday by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany's leading public health research body.
The surge has largely been driven by an extreme heatwave starting late June, which has caused approximately 9,600 deaths.
According to RKI data, the elderly were disproportionately affected by the high temperatures. Over 6,000 heat-related deaths occurred among people aged 85 and older, while about 2,900 deaths were recorded among those aged 75 to 84.
During the peak of the heatwave in late June, temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in multiple areas across Germany, with further scorching weather expected throughout early August.
Thousands of heat-related deaths recorded as intense heatwave grips Hungary, Germany
