Alex Trelinski
UNSEASONALLY high temperatures have been responsible for 1,180 heat-related deaths in Spain over the last two months.
The figures were released on Monday by the Environment Ministry and show a dramatic rise compared to the same period in 2024.
The overwhelming majority of people who died were aged over 65 and more than half were women.
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The biggest problems appeared to be in northern Spain which has seen traditionally cooler summer temperatures increase in recent years.
The most affected regions were Galicia, La Rioja, Asturias and Cantabria.
The suggestion is people in areas that traditionally suffer heatwaves are more likely to stay out of the sun and take safety precautions.
Like other countries in Western Europe, Spain has been hit by extreme heat in recent weeks, with temperatures often topping 40C.
The 1,180 people who died of heat-related causes between May 16 and July 13 compared with 114 in the same period in 2024, according to data supplied by the Carlos III Health Institute.
The number of deaths increased significantly in the first week in July.
The data shows an event ‘of exceptional intensity, characterised by an unprecedented increase in average temperatures and a significant increase in mortality attributable to heatwaves’, the Environment Ministry said.
In the period, there were 76 red alerts for extreme heat, compared with none a year earlier.
Last summer, 2,191 deaths were attributed to heat-related causes in Spain.
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