July Heatwave Among Deadliest on Record
At least 2,024 premature deaths in Spain have been linked to the extreme heat of July 2026, with 544 occurring in Catalonia. These figures, drawn from the daily mortality monitoring system MoMo operated by the National Centre for Epidemiology at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, mark the second-highest July toll since records began. Only 2022, a year of unprecedented heat-related mortality across Europe, saw higher numbers. The data shows a 129.74% increase compared to July 2016 and a 90.94% rise from July 2025, when 1,060 heat-attributable deaths were recorded nationwide. Since the summer began on 15 May under MoMo’s monitoring criteria, at least 3,078 premature deaths have been estimated across the country.
Impact Across All Age Groups
While the majority of heat-related deaths occurred among people over 85, with 1,249 premature deaths recorded, the data reveals a worrying rise in mortality across all age ranges. At least three deaths were recorded among children under 14, 41 among those aged 15 to 44, 125 among 45 to 64-year-olds, 201 among 65 to 74-year-olds, and 489 among those aged 75 to 84. Experts confirm that extreme heat now poses a serious health risk to all age groups, not just the elderly. Vulnerable populations, particularly older women living alone with pre-existing conditions, are at highest risk of fatal complications due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures.
The extreme heat has become a danger to the health of everyone, not just the elderly.
Multiple Heatwaves and Regional Hotspots
Spain endured four intense heatwaves in July, pushing temperatures above 40°C in dozens of cities and reaching 45°C in some areas. The provinces of Tarragona, Girona, Navarre, and Cantabria were among the hardest hit, with temperatures far exceeding historical averages. Barcelona’s Fabra Observatory recorded its warmest July in 112 years, with an anomaly exceeding 4°C. The Observatori de l'Ebre in Roquetes also registered its highest average July temperature since records began in 1905.
The MoMo system uses daily mortality and temperature data to statistically estimate excess deaths attributable to heat, rather than listing direct causes on death certificates. The method, detailed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (isciii.es), accounts for fatalities where heat exacerbates underlying conditions, which represent the majority of heat-attributed deaths, as opposed to acute heatstroke events, which are rarer.
These estimates reflect how high temperatures contribute to fatal outcomes, especially in those with pre-existing illnesses.
Reported by Valentina Raffio, diaridetarragona.com, mundodeportivo.com, Lucía Pérez Marín, docmomo.isciii.es, elmundo.es, Centro Nacional de Epidemiología; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, ISCIII (Instituto de salud Carlos III), isciii.es, cne.isciii.es, infosalus.com, repisalud.isciii.es, transition-news.org, elperiodico.com.
