Over 5,000 heat-related deaths in Spain since June
Most heat-related excess deaths result from heart attacks and strokes caused by the strain of maintaining stable body temperatures.
Spain has seen more than 5,000 heat-related deaths since June, marking a record high since 2015, according to data from the Carlos III Health Institute. The country is currently experiencing unusually high temperatures for September, with forecasts predicting temperatures to surpass 40°C in the south and west. This heatwave is part of a series of exceptional summer heatwaves across Europe, with the continent's climate monitor reporting the hottest June-July on record for western Europe.
The Carlos III Health Institute's Mortality Monitoring System (MoMo) estimates these fatalities, incorporating weather data to assess likely causes of mortality spikes. Most excess deaths due to heat are attributed to heart attacks and strokes caused by the body's struggle to maintain stable temperatures. Scientists attribute these extreme heat spells to climate change, driven by human activities that burn fossil fuels.
July was Spain's joint-hottest month since 1961, and new temperature records were broken across drought-affected Europe. Spain also suffered one of its worst wildfire disasters in recent memory in July, forcing the evacuation of thousands just dozens of kilometers from Madrid.
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