Scientists say that that scorching temperatures that blanketed Europe last summer may have led to over 61,000 heat-related deaths.

Researchers say the findings highlight the need for governments to deal with the health impacts of global warming.

In their report, published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, scientists examined official mortality figures from 35 European countries, finding a marked increase in deaths from late May to early September last year, compared with the average recorded over a 30-year period.

The study found the uptick in heat-related deaths was higher among older people, women and in Mediterranean countries.

But the data also indicated that measures taken in France following a deadly heatwave two decades ago may have helped prevent deaths there last year.