Spain records record 5,800 heat-related deaths in summer 2026

Spain recorded a historic 5,807 heat-related deaths during the summer of 2026, according to data from the Carlos III Health Institute’s daily mortality monitoring system (MoMo). This figure represents the highest heat-related mortality recorded since monitoring began in 2015, significantly exceeding the previous record of 4,789 deaths in 2022.

The mortality surge primarily affected elderly populations, with 97% of the estimated deaths occurring in individuals aged 65 and older, and 62% in those aged 85 and above. Women accounted for 60% of the fatalities. Geographically, the highest mortality rates were observed in northern and north-eastern mainland Spain, including regions such as Cantabria, Biscay, Álava, Navarre, Huesca, Barcelona, and Tarragona.

Experts attribute this extreme outcome to an exceptional climatic context. The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) identified four distinct heatwaves, followed by an additional heatwave in early September. Other contributing factors included persistent drought, major forest fires, and an intense marine heatwave in the western Mediterranean. The summer was classified as the hottest in Spain since at least 1869.