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The health impact of this summer's exceptional heat is becoming increasingly clear, with 50 deaths in the Region of Murcia now estimated to be linked to high temperatures.
The latest figures from the Daily Mortality Monitoring System, MoMo, show that 12 heat-related deaths were recorded between August 1 and 15. That takes the estimated total since the start of the summer to 50, compared with 22 during the whole of last summer.
The figures are estimates rather than a record of people who died directly from heatstroke. MoMo compares expected mortality with the number of deaths occurring during periods of unusually high temperatures, helping to identify when heat may have contributed to a person's death.
July was particularly tough in Murcia. It was the hottest July in the Region since records began, with an average temperature of 28.5C.
Temperatures of 40C or above were recorded on many days, while nights offered little relief. In the city of Murcia, all 31 nights were classed as tropical, with 11 reaching the higher category of a torrid night.
That lack of overnight cooling can be particularly difficult for the body, especially after several days of extreme temperatures.
Of the 50 estimated heat-related deaths in Murcia this summer, 37 were people aged over 75. People with cardiovascular, respiratory, kidney and other chronic illnesses can also be particularly vulnerable, as heat and dehydration can worsen existing health problems.
Heatwaves combined with very high night-time temperatures can prevent the body from properly recovering from thermal stress.
The risk isn't only about age or medical conditions. Housing, access to cooling and a person's social circumstances can also make a significant difference during periods of extreme heat.
MoMo estimates that 1,108 people died in Spain as a result of high temperatures between August 1 and 15. That is almost 150 more than during the same period last year and represents the third-highest figure for the first half of August since the monitoring system began in 2015.
Across the country, 1,070 of those deaths were among people aged over 65, including 659 aged over 85. Women accounted for 670 of the estimated deaths, compared with 438 men.
Since the 2026 Heat Plan began, MoMo estimates that 4,191 deaths in Spain have been associated with high temperatures, including 123 in late May, 936 in June, 2,024 in July and 1,108 during the first half of August.
Read also: Homeless People Struggle To Escape Murcia's Extreme Summer Heat
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