Thousands may have died in UK's exceptional May and June heatwaves

More than 2,700 people may have died from heat-related causes during the UK's exceptionally hot weather in May and June, according to estimates from a team at Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Most deaths likely occurred in the June heatwave, the warmest June on record in England, with temperatures reaching 37.7°C (99.9°F) at Lingwood, Norfolk. Both heatwaves were caused by a 'heat dome' exacerbated by human-induced climate change, which added 3-4°C to maximum temperatures. Heat is dubbed a 'silent killer' because early symptoms are easily overlooked, with babies, older people, and those with existing health conditions most at risk.