350 million in Europe at risk of extreme weather: Study

London: Two out of three people living in Europe will be affected by heat waves, coastal floods and other weather-related disasters, largely due to global warming and climate change by the end of the century, a study said.

That's 350 million people in 31 countries subjected to an increased risk of death and health hazards, said the study published on Friday in the journal Lancet Planetary Health.

Overall, weather-related disasters are expected to cause 152,000 deaths a year in Europe between 2071 and 2100, jumping from 3,000 weather disaster-related deaths a year between 1981 and 2010.

Heat waves will be responsible for 99 per cent of weather-related deaths in Europe by 2100, the study said. Climate change will be the dominant driver of these disasters, CNN said quoting the report.

The researchers estimate that 99 per cent of future weather-related deaths will be due to heat waves that very well could cause a spike in cardiovascular disease, stroke and respiratory diseases, the researchers suggested.

"This should be considered in light of the devastating effects of the 2003 European and 2010 Russian heat waves, where thousands died. The thought of such events occurring more frequently is frightening," said Andrew Grundstein, a University of Georgia Professor not affiliated with the study told CNN.

Southern Europe is likely to be hit the hardest, based on projections for heat waves and droughts. 

Almost everyone living in Italy, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Cyprus, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia would be affected by weather-related disasters, causing 700 deaths per 1 million people annually.

By comparison, one out of three people will be affected every year in northern Europe -- Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Other than heat-related deaths, annual coastal flooding-related deaths will rise from six to 233 by the end of the century. 

Droughts could also reduce the water needed for food production and basic needs for 138 million people, the researchers said.

Previous studies have pointed to population growth, urbanization and migration as drivers of disaster risk in the future.

"Our results show that for the future, climate change will likely be the dominant driver of the projected trends, accounting for more than 90 per cent of the rise in risk to population," said Giovanni Forzieri of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, lead author of the new study. 

"Population changes such as growth, migration and urbanization will account for the remaining 10 per cent," Forzieri said.