Killer summer: over 1.100 heat-related deaths in Milan, 579 in Naples

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Killer Summer: Over 1 Heat Deaths in Milan and Naples (100 Nrql)

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The summer of 2025 will go down in history as one of the deadliest. This was revealed by an alarming joint study by Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, which highlighted the devastating impact of climate change on the European population.

In Milan alone , in fact, there have been over 1.100 deaths directly linked to extreme temperatures, a number that places the Lombard capital in first place in the ranking of the 854 European cities analyzed.

The dramatic balance

A summer that left a trail of silent death in its wake. In Milan , from June to August, 1.156 people lost their lives to extreme heat. Not just "high temperatures," but the direct effects of the climate crisis, which has transformed heat waves into truly invisible killers.

The data comes from a study conducted by Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, which analyzed 854 European cities: a total of 16.500 deaths attributable to climate change. In Italy, the numbers are those of a national emergency: 4.597 deaths.

Milan leads the tragic European ranking, followed by Rome with 835 victims, Naples with 579 and Turin with 230. All are in the top ten of the most affected cities.

The elderly are the first victims

The study highlights that 85% of deaths are over 65, confirming how vulnerable groups are most exposed. " Heat waves ," the researchers warn, "are silent killers. Most deaths occur in homes and hospitals, far from the spotlight."

At a European level, the numbers are impressive: 2.841 victims in Spain, 1.477 in Germany, 1.444 in France, 1.147 in the United Kingdom, 1.064 in Romania.

The hottest summer ever

According to researchers, temperatures rising by up to 3,6 degrees Celsius above seasonal averages have made summer 2025 the hottest on record in several European countries, including Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. "Heatwaves that are just 2-4 degrees hotter are enough for thousands of people to die," explained researcher Garyfallos Konstantinoudis.

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