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ARCHIVED - Climate change threatens Murcia tourism as visitors try to escape the extreme heat
The Region of Murcia registered temperatures of 45ºC this summer, a record not seen in a century
The Region of Murcia, along with much of Spain, experienced months of rolling heatwaves this past summer. But far from enticing more visitors to the area, the experts are now warning that this effect of climate change will drive people away from the south of the country.
A scorching July saw the mercury reach an incredible 45ºC in the Region, the highest average temperatures in over a century, and this resulted in visitors instead flocking to more northern areas to escape the heat, according to Carlos III Health Institute scientist, Cristina Linares, who went so far as to say that the south of Spain “is becoming a desert”.
“People will tend to go to the north to rest better, since it is impossible to sleep in the south or in the interior,” she concluded.
The heat has another important impact on one of the Region of Murcia’s most valued natural tourist attractions: the Mar Menor. The delicate salt-water lagoon has suffered more algae build-up this year, thanks in no small part to the record temperatures of the water, which reached 31.25ºC at the height of the heatwave.
According to the experts, the blistering temperatures can also be linked to a general decline in mental health. Tropical nights that last for weeks on end increase fatigue, nervousness and anxiety, and long periods of heat have been shown to increase the chance of suicide in countries like Japan and the US.
And that’s not all. The Spanish study shows that people consume more alcohol during the summer, increasing the risk of dependency, while road traffic accidents also jumped during the heatwave, most likely due to driver fatigue.
The biggest worry is that climate change in Spain is advancing at a faster pace than expected. The extreme temperatures recorded during the summer weren’t predicted to be reached for another decade and the 42 days of heatwaves quadrupled the death toll.
“Thermal extremes cost lives,” scientist Julio Díaz ominously warned.
Image: Archive
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