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

Thousands may have died in UK's exceptional May and June heatwavesImage source, Getty ImagesByMichelle Roberts, Digital health editor  and Matt McGrath, Environment correspondentPublishedJust nowMore than 2,700 people may have died from heat-related causes during the UK's exceptionally hot weather in May and June, experts' estimates suggest. The figure, from a team at Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, is based on what's known about the dangers of extreme heat. Most deaths will have occurred in the June heatwave, they say - the warmest June on record in England, when temperatures hit 37.7C (99.9F) at Lingwood, Norfolk, smashing the previous high of 35.6C (96F) set in 1957.A rare red heat alert, external was issued for parts of England and Wales at the time, warning even healthy people of the significant risk to life. Silent killerMay temperatures, meanwhile, hit a new UK high of 35.1C at Kew Gardens on May 26 – a significant increase on the previous high mark of 32.8C, which had been set back in 1922 and equalled in 1944.Both heatwaves were caused by a "heat dome" - a stalled area of high pressure that trapped hot air over the region, say experts.The heat dome was made worse by human-induced climate change, the researchers say. This has warmed the planet by around 1.4C since pre-industrial times and scientists believe it added between 3 and 4C to the maximum temperatures recorded in May and June.Hot tropical nights added to the sweltering conditions, offering little respite.Many UK homes are not built to cope, leaving people vulnerable to prolonged, high temperatures. Heat puts immense physical strain on the body, made worse if you are dehydrated, with the heart pumping harder and faster to cool you off.Babies and older people are among those most at risk of harm, as well as those with existing health conditions.It can lead to more heart attacks, strokes and other potentially...