Spain's Ministry of Environment stated on the 14th that under the impact of high temperatures, the past two months have resulted in 1,180 deaths, far higher than the 114 fatal cases during the same period last year.
According to foreign media reports, data cited by the Ministry indicates that most of the deceased were over the age of 65, with more than half being women.
The most affected regions are all located in northern Spain, namely Galicia, La Rioja, and Cantabria. These areas have traditionally been cool in the summer, but have warmed noticeably in recent years.
Like other Western European countries, Spain has experienced extreme heat in recent weeks, with temperatures often soaring to as high as 40 degrees Celsius.
The Ministry of Environment issued a statement noting that, according to data from the Carlos III Health Institute, from May 16 to July 13, there were 1,180 cases of death related to high temperatures, far exceeding the 114 during the same period in 2024. The number of deaths rose significantly in the first week of July.
The Ministry stated that the data reveal “unusually severe” events, characterized by two major features: an unprecedented rise in average temperatures and a significant increase in mortality caused by heatwaves.
During the period covered by this data, a total of 76 extreme high-temperature red alerts were issued; in contrast, there wasn't a single alert a year ago.
According to data from the Carlos III Health Institute, last summer, there were 2,191 deaths attributed to high temperatures.