Expert Warns Of 'Widespread Death' As UK Enters Fourth Heatwave

Fan on hot dayThe UK is facing its fourth heatwave of the year, with some parts of the south Midlands expected to see 34°C today (Tuesday 12 August). Amber health alerts have been issued in five parts of England (London, the South East, East of England, East Midlands and West Midlands) starting on Tuesday and ending at 6pm on Wednesday, 13 August.Yellow heat health alerts cover all of England at this time, too.Amber alerts mean we “may begin to see some health impacts across the wider population,” with over-65s and people with pre-existing illnesses at increased risk. We've got a hot afternoon ahead of us with lots of strong sunshine and high UV levels ☀️Some cloud may make skies hazy at times and bring an isolated shower, but for many it will stay dry pic.twitter.com/bowiqn5U8z— Met Office (@metoffice) August 12, 2025Why are heatwaves so dangerous in the UK?The UK is poorly equipped to handle extremes of heat, which are becoming more common. During the summer of 2022, for instance, which saw temperatures soar to 40°C, 3,000 people died from heat-related causes.Bob Ward, Policy and Communications Director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science, said that our current heatwave risks “causing widespread death and damage to the economy and exposing the lack of a national strategy for dealing with extreme heat.“We expect hundreds of vulnerable people across the country, particularly in Central England, to die as a result of the high temperatures over the next 24 hours, and millions of pounds will be lost as productivity is reduced in overheating workplaces,” he added. Speaking to HuffPost UK previously, Johan Jaques, chief meteorologist at environmental solutions company KISTERS, explained that a mixture of heat-retaining buildings, the “urban heat island” effect, and the relative humidity of Britain and Northern Ireland makes our heatwaves dangerously “stifling”.Even our infrastructure, like trains, suffers at increasingly common high temps.High heat can make existing conditions worse. Older people, who are more likely to be negatively affected by extreme heat, are often less able than younger, healthier people to notice overheating. This may place added strain on healthcare services.Why are there so many heatwaves in the UK this year? 2025 started hot and has seen multiple days-long heatwaves since its record-breaking spring. Ward says that “These periods of extreme heat are becoming more frequent and more intense as a result of climate change, and will continue to become more severe for the next few decades until the world reaches net zero emissions of greenhouse gases.” He continued, “Let this be the last summer when the UK is poorly prepared for extreme heat.“Today is the day for the Government to get a grip and vow to create and implement a National Heat Risk Strategy to save lives and boost the economy by making us more resilient to heatwave conditions.”How can I keep myself and others safe in the heat?Dr Paul Coleman, Consultant in Public Health at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: “If you have friends, family or neighbours who are vulnerable, it is important to ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice.“Check in on them if you can to make sure they know that hot weather is on the way and how to keep themselves safe.” UKHSA guidelines for handling extreme heat include closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun, covering up with a hat, sunglasses, and enough sunscreen if you’re going outside, avoiding the sun as much as possible between 11am and 3pm, exercising at cooler parts of the day (like dawn and evening), and knowing the symtoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.The NHS says you should call 999 if someone with suspected heatstroke has:a very high temperaturehot skin that’s not sweating and might look red (this can be harder to see on brown and black skin)a fast heartbeatfast breathing or shortness of breathconfusion and lack of coordinationa seizure or fitloss of consciousness.Related...Ripe Blackberries Spotted As Early As June In Heatwave-Heavy YearSo THAT's Why UK Heatwaves Feel So Much Worse Than Other CountriesI've Dreaded Every Heatwave Since 2019 – And It's Only Going To Get Worse

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