Spain endures record heat wave with regional warnings and heat‑related deaths

A severe heat wave is affecting Spain, prompting alerts in twelve autonomous communities. Four regions – Aragon, Catalonia, Navarra and La Rioja – are under orange‑level warnings as temperatures approach 41 °C, while eight other regions face yellow alerts. In the interior of the Basque Country, Bilbao has an orange alert with temperatures reaching 39 °C and a heat‑related advisory from AEMET.

The heat has already caused fatalities: two deaths were recorded in Seville within 48 hours, a 59‑year‑old woman and a 48‑year‑old worker, both succumbing to heatstroke while exposed on the streets. Nationwide, more than 1,080 heat‑related emergencies have been logged, including 18 hospitalisations.

Authorities advise the public to stay hydrated, avoid strenuous outdoor activity during peak heat, seek shade, and follow local heat‑stroke prevention guidelines. The week is expected to close with continued high temperatures in the south and east, while thunderstorms bring cooler conditions to the north.