Amid brutal heatwaves, Spain sees one of its worst months for heat-related deaths

Much of the Iberian Peninsula is experiencing another brutal heatwave this week, raising health risks across the region.

In Spain, August's first heatwave has already claimed its first victim: an 85-year-old man who died on Monday in Badajoz from heatstroke.

The heatwave follows one of the deadliest months for heat-related health issues in Spain, with 1,060 deaths attributed to high temperatures in July, according to the Daily Mortality Monitoring System (MoMo).

That is a 57 per cent increase from one year earlier and a 54.5 per cent increase compared to July 2023.

So far this year, the figure stands at 3,255 deaths attributable to high temperatures, which far exceeds last year's total of 2,534. And the summer is not over yet.

Nine regions are currently under alert for extreme temperatures, which are expected to reach up to 42°C in areas such as Badajoz and Jaén, and up to 38°C in Madrid.

Meanwhile, Barcelona, Malaga, and Valencia will remain at a notably lower level, with temperatures ranging from 30°C to 33°C.

When will the heatwave end?

Spain's State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) expects the heatwave to last at least until next Sunday. In a public message, it said the abnormally warm weather is expected to persist Wednesday and Tuesday, and that temperatures could even rise in parts of the country.

But from Friday onward, the outlook is more uncertain.

"With the current information, the most likely scenario is that on Friday temperatures will drop in the Cantabrian Sea, but will rise again in the west of the peninsula, so that this heatwave episode will continue at least until next weekend," the agency said.