Spain records over 2,000 heat‑related deaths in July 2026

Spain’s daily mortality monitoring system (MoMo) reported 2,026 deaths in July 2026 that were attributed to extreme heat, almost double the 1,060 deaths recorded in the same month a year earlier. This is the second‑highest July toll since the system began in 2015, surpassed only by July 2022’s 2,217 deaths.

The majority of the victims were elderly: 1,944 were over 65 years old, including 1,249 who were over 85. Women accounted for 1,208 of the deaths. Regional data show Catalonia suffered the most with 544 fatalities, followed by Andalusia (262), the Valencian Community (235), the Basque Country (140) and Castilla‑La Mancha (84). Since the start of the summer, a total of 3,158 heat‑related deaths have been recorded, adding the 101 deaths in May and 1,031 in June.

Health officials warn that heat intensifies cardiovascular, respiratory and renal conditions, and that each degree above the health‑risk threshold raises mortality by roughly 9‑11 %. The spike follows four heat waves this summer, with temperatures exceeding 40 °C in many areas and isolated peaks of 45 °C.