• 1,180 deaths recorded in Spain due to heatwaves from May 16 to July 13, 2024.
• The majority of victims were over 65, with over half being women.
• Regions most affected include Galicia, La Rioja, Asturias, and Cantabria.
• 76 red alerts for extreme heat issued during the reporting period.
• Last summer saw a total of 2,191 heat-related deaths in Spain.

High temperatures have led to 1,180 deaths in Spain over the past two months, according to the Environment Ministry. This figure represents a drastic increase from the previous year, where only 114 deaths were recorded in the same timeframe. The ministry reports that most of the deceased were individuals over 65 years old, with more than half being women. Regions notably affected include Galicia, La Rioja, Asturias, and Cantabria, traditionally cooler areas experiencing unprecedented temperature rises, as noted in reports from TRT Global, Dawn, and Reuters.

The situation is alarming as Spain, akin to other Western European countries, has experienced extreme heat recently, with temperatures frequently exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). The ministry highlighted that from May 16 to July 13, the number of heat-related deaths increased significantly, particularly during the first week of July, as detailed by TRT Global, Dawn, and Reuters.

During this critical period, Spain faced 76 red alerts for extreme heat, a stark contrast to the previous year, which recorded no such alerts. The growth in mortality associated with these heatwaves indicates an event of “exceptional intensity,” characterized by a significant rise in average temperatures attributable to climate change. Last summer, the country reported a total of 2,191 heat-related deaths, underscoring the ongoing public health crisis, as indicated in the statements from TRT Global, Dawn, and Reuters.

Recent scientific analyses published on July 9 suggest that approximately 2,300 people died due to heat in 12 European cities during a severe heatwave that occurred over just ten days ending July 2. However, there remains uncertainty regarding the consistency of methodologies used in these studies compared to the data from Spain, as noted by TRT Global, Dawn, and Reuters.