Heat wave linked to a surge in Romanian deaths, study finds

Researchers from InfoClima and the Advisory Council for Science and Climate Change published a report titled “Starea Climei - România 2026” that quantifies the mortality impact of high temperatures in the summer of 2025. Using statistical modelling, they attribute a notable fraction of all deaths in that four-month window to temperatures exceeding local comfort thresholds. The mortality burden was concentrated in a few intense heat waves, with one week in late July accounting for more than a quarter of the heat-related deaths.

People aged 75 and older accounted for roughly two-thirds of these fatalities, and the risk was markedly higher for men than women in that age group. Regional analysis showed that counties in the south and southeast, such as Teleorman and Dolj, experienced far higher heat-related mortality rates than northern regions. The study also notes that official death records rarely list heat as a direct cause, highlighting a gap in public health reporting.