Spain heat-related deaths hit record 5,111

Spain recorded 5,111 heat-related deaths from June to August, the highest total for that period since the Carlos III Health Institute began its statistics in 2015, the public institute's data showed Tuesday.

The estimate exceeded the previous June-to-August high of 4,652 in 2022. It was also above 3,651 deaths in the same period last year and 1,977 in the same three months in 2024.

The institute used Spain's Mortality Monitoring System, known as MoMo, which tracks daily deaths nationwide, compares them with historical trends and incorporates external factors including weather data from the national weather agency AEMET.

MoMo cannot confirm a direct cause between individual deaths and high temperatures, but it provides an estimate of deaths in which heat was likely a decisive factor.

AEMET said July was mainland Spain's joint-hottest month since its records began in 1961. Forecasts showed unusually high September temperatures were set to affect Spain this week, with temperatures topping 40C in the south and west.

The figures came after exceptional summer heatwaves in Europe. Heat and dry conditions also contributed to wildfire risks in Spain, where July fires forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate dozens of kilometres from Madrid.