The high temperatures have claimed the lives of 1,180 people in the past 60 days in Spain. The number is a multiple of the deaths recorded in the same period last year.

Most of the victims were over 65 years old, and more than half were women.

At the same time, the worst affected areas were Galicia, La Rioja,Asturias and Cadabria. All of them are located in the northern part of the country, which has had higher temperatures in recent years.

More than double the death toll

In recent weeks, extreme heat has hit many countries in Western Europe. Mercury in Spain has often exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.

1,180 people died of heat-related causes between May 16 and July 13. By comparison, heat wave deaths in the same period in 2024 totaled only 70. The number of deaths rose dramatically in the first week of July, based on figures from the Charles III Health Institute.

These two months, 76 extreme heat warnings were issued in various parts of the country, compared with none last year.

Last summer, a total of 2,191 deaths were attributed to causes related to high temperatures

On July 9, a scientific analysis reported that about 2,300 people died from heat in 12 European cities during the 10-day heat wave that lasted until July 2.