More than 2,000 deaths in Spain were attributable to high temperatures during July, including 234 in the Valencian Community, according to provisional estimates from the country’s Daily Mortality Monitoring System.
The MoMo system calculated that heat contributed to 2,036 deaths nationwide during the month. The figures coincide with the end of Spain’s fourth heatwave of the year, which the State Meteorological Agency, AEMET, said lasted from July 29 to 31.
During those three days, an estimated 183 heat-related deaths were recorded across Spain, including 14 in the Valencian Community.
MoMo was developed by the Daily Mortality Surveillance Unit at the National Centre for Epidemiology, part of the Carlos III Health Institute.
Its figures do not represent individually confirmed heat deaths. Instead, the statistical system compares observed daily mortality with the number of deaths normally expected and assesses this information alongside temperature data.
When mortality rises above the expected level, it is described as excess mortality. Extreme temperatures may contribute to this increase by worsening existing health conditions, particularly among older people and other vulnerable groups.
The highest estimated toll during the latest heatwave occurred on July 31, when 67 deaths were attributed to high temperatures. MoMo estimated 65 heat-related deaths on July 30 and 51 on July 29.
Health authorities stressed that the latest figures remain provisional and normally take around a week to stabilise.
July included several periods of dangerously high temperatures. The month’s third heatwave, recorded between July 21 and 23, was linked to 138 deaths, according to figures now considered stable.
The second heatwave, which lasted from July 5 to 9, was considerably more severe, with an estimated 454 heat-related deaths recorded during the five-day period.
During the fourth heatwave, AEMET reported maximum temperatures of between 40C and 42C in southeastern Spain and the Guadalquivir Valley.
In the Valencian Community, the deadliest day linked to high temperatures was July 10, when MoMo estimated 22 deaths. This was followed by July 9 with 20 deaths, July 11 with 19 and July 12 with 17.
A further 15 deaths were attributed to the heat on July 13, followed by 13 on July 14, ten on July 15 and eight on July 26.
AEMET forecast a fall in temperatures across Mediterranean areas on Saturday, followed by a more widespread decline across most of Spain on Sunday and Monday.
The agency said conditions would remain hot but were expected to become less extreme, with temperatures returning to levels more typical for the season.
Despite the anticipated relief, AEMET warned that the wildfire danger would remain very high or extreme across large parts of Spain.
