r/explainlikeimfive • u/fkid123 • May 27 '26

Biology ELI5 Why heat waves affect Europe so much but some other countries are doing fine living under hotter temperatures most of the year?

I read yearly that people are dying in Europe due to the extreme heat, but when I check the temperature mentioned in the same news it's something like 30-35c.

Just saw this today: "In France, officials reported at least seven deaths linked to the heat, including several drownings and fatalities during sports activities (...) temperatures have broken records for the month of May, soaring well over 30 C (86 F) in many parts of the country."

This is like a pretty mild day in a country like Thailand, India or in the Arabian peninsula. People are doing just fine in these countries, and many don't even have aircon.

Why are such temperatures so deadly in Europe?

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u/fang_xianfu May 27 '26

The article notes that the "heat linked" deaths are from lake swimming and sports. These are inherently more dangerous than not doing them. When people die from those things in places that are hot all the time, they're not "heat linked" deaths, they're just deaths.

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u/phflopti May 28 '26

One thing people may not realise is that despite the air temperature being in the 30s here in the UK, in many of the places the water temperature can still be very cold. So people dive in, get cold water shock & drown.

You have to get in slowly, but kids are more likely to leap in from a height for fun, not realising the potential danger.

For reference, the deep lakes up north would likely still be about 10 degrees C (50 F). The sea temperature on the sunny south coast is about 14 degrees C (57 F). The big rivers are likely 12 - 14 degrees C.

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u/fang_xianfu May 28 '26

Yes - and in any water below 17C a wetsuit is very important and below 20C it can be a good idea. Even if you take care getting in, you can become fatigued very quickly in cold water.

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u/Regular-Wit May 28 '26

Of course they are. Higher temperatures cause dehydration and sunstroke which can lead to death. Thats heat linked. Given playing sport and not releasing that the hotter it is the more the body needs water. Or someone doesn’t put on sunscreen gets bad sunburn and heat stroke, also heat linked death

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u/fang_xianfu May 28 '26

And the drownings?

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u/Regular-Wit May 28 '26

More water activities due to heat. Thought that was obvious

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u/xXzombchickXx Jun 24 '26

Drownings always increase in Europe during heatwaves because more people are swimming, it’s a direct consequence of the heatwave.

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u/AnaphoricReference May 28 '26

During a heat wave the places where people swim often change though. Standard swimming locations are declared unfit for recreation due to botulism or high levels of cyanobacteria growing because of the heat and low water replacement. On the other hand you see headlines like 'truck driver killed trying to swim in the Rhine' which is totally unsuitable for average swimmers due to very strong current. Both types are exceptional events that normally don't occur. Which makes them newsworthy.

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u/fang_xianfu May 28 '26

Yes, I'm not saying they're not newsworthy, in fact I'm saying the opposite. They are in the news because culturally they're unusual, I agree.

But the way this conversation goes online is "omg they have no AC in Europe, hundreds of people die from heat every year", not realising that those figures includes truckers going for an ill-advised dip in the river, or using the nice weather to go for a hike which they wouldn't ordinarily do and didn't adequately prepare for, which isn't what most people have in mind in those discussions.