Spain records 1,028 heat-related deaths in June, a new high

Spain recorded more than 1,000 heat-related deaths throughout June, marking the highest number of fatalities from a heatwave since records began in 2015, after the country was hit by extreme temperatures all month. The Spanish Health Ministry’s daily mortality monitoring system, released on Wednesday, registered up to 1,028 deaths linked to high temperatures during June, surpassing the previous record of 1,000 deaths in June 2017. The figure is based on estimates of excess mortality, which compare the actual number of deaths with the number expected during periods of extreme temperature, rather than on medical certificates directly attributing heat as the cause of death. The elderly accounted for nearly all the victims. Of the total deaths attributed to heat, 1,022 occurred in people aged 65 and over, including 720 who were 85 or older. One death was recorded in a child under 15. The highest number of deaths occurred in the Mediterranean and northern regions of Spain, whose populations are generally less accustomed to prolonged extreme heat than those in the hotter south. Catalonia recorded 218 heat-related deaths, followed by the Basque Country with 147. The surge in deaths began around 21 June, when a record-breaking heatwave hit Spain, and remained high until the end of the month. According to Spain’s meteorological agency, AEMET, this June was the second hottest June since records began in 1961. AEMET stated that the average temperature in June was 3.2 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average, with only June 2025 recording a higher temperature. The agency also said that the 13 hottest Junes since 1961 have all occurred in the 21st century, reflecting a long-term warming trend generally attributed to global warming. Although setting a record for June, it was not the deadliest heat period in Spain overall. The mortality monitoring system recorded 2,217 heat-related deaths in July 2022 and 2,184 in August last year. The respite from the extreme heat that occurred last week is likely to be short-lived, as AEMET warned that a very hot air mass is expected to move across Spain in the coming days. A new heatwave could begin this weekend, bringing back very high daytime and night-time temperatures.