More than 30 people have drowned while swimming in rivers, lakes, and other water bodies across Germany during a severe heat wave. Most of the victims were male, though several teenagers were also among the dead.
The German Life Saving Association (DLRG) said at least 26 people died from Friday through Sunday while swimming or bathing. At least seven additional fatal incidents occurred on Thursday. The organization had issued warnings about the risks before the heat wave began.
The body of a 17-year-old was recovered from Eixer Lake near Peine, Lower Saxony. A 14-year-old who went missing at Echts Lake in North Rhine-Westphalia was also found dead.
Several people remain missing in the Elbe River, the Pohl Reservoir in Saxony, a mining lake near Kehl, Nefel Lake, Fuhlinger Lake in Cologne, and the Baltic Sea. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.
DLRG President Ute Vogt said many men in particular are overestimating their swimming abilities and taking unnecessary risks, which is a major cause of these incidents.
The German Meteorological Service said temperatures have eased slightly after several days of intense heat, but another heat wave is expected between July 10 and 12.
The World Health Organization warned that heat waves are no longer isolated weather events but are becoming more frequent, intense, and prolonged due to climate change. WHO Europe Regional Director Hans Kluge said more than half of European countries still lack effective heat wave response plans, and that early warnings, cooling shelters, and targeted support for vulnerable populations could prevent many deaths.
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