6,000 people died from the heat this year in Spain

A series of heatwaves and well above average temperatures proved fatal this summer. | Photo: Majorca Daily Bulletin reporter

Humphrey CarterPalma13/10/2026 15:54

According to calculations by the Daily All-Cause Mortality Monitoring System (MoMo) of the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), only two of these deaths were recorded in the Balearics.

This summer’s figure far exceeds that recorded in the previous two years. In 2025, MoMo estimated 3,832 deaths attributable to excessive temperatures over the same period, whilst in 2024 it calculated 2,042 heat-related deaths. Thus, the 5,807 deaths estimated for 2026 represent an increase of 51.6 per cent compared with 2025 and 184.4 per cent compared with 2024.

In terms of the analysis by age, older people were once again the most affected; 97 per cent of the estimated heat-related deaths occurred among people aged 65 or over, and 62 per cent among those aged 85 or over. Furthermore, 60 per cent were women. Furthermore, the impact also varied across the country, with the highest heat-attributable mortality rates observed in the north and north-east of the mainland.

By gender, 3,486 women and 2,321 men died. In terms of the distribution over time, the highest impact was recorded in August, with 2,162 deaths, followed by July (2,026), June (938), September (559) and the second half of May (123).

The ISCIII has emphasised that these figures underscore the importance of “maintaining continuous epidemiological surveillance and strengthening prevention and adaptation measures against the effects of extreme heat on public health”.

In its view, this impact has occurred “against a backdrop of exceptional weather conditions, characterised by four heatwaves identified by AEMET, as well as an additional heatwave in early September, persistent drought, major forest fires and an intense marine heatwave in the western Mediterranean”.