More than 1,000 people in Spain died from heat-related causes during the recent heatwave that swept across Europe, as the country recorded its hottest first six months on record, officials said on Wednesday.
According to the Carlos III Health Institute, at least 1,028 deaths were linked to heat-related complications during the recent extreme weather conditions.
The figure is more than double the 407 heat-related deaths recorded in June 2025, which had previously been the hottest June since records began.
Spain’s national weather agency, Aemet, said the first half of 2026 was the hottest ever recorded in the country, with average temperatures standing 1.6 degrees Celsius above normal levels.
“The seven warmest first halves of the year have all occurred within the past decade,” Aemet said.
June 2026 was also the second-hottest June on record in Spain, with average temperatures reaching 3.2 degrees Celsius above seasonal norms.
The intense heatwave that gripped Europe in late June has been described as one of the most severe ever recorded on the continent.
The World Weather Attribution said the extreme heat would have been “virtually impossible” in June without the influence of climate change.
Several European countries also recorded extreme temperatures, with all-time heat records broken in Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.
Record June temperatures were also reported in the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
Meanwhile, France experienced record-breaking average temperatures, including its highest-ever nighttime temperatures, highlighting the growing impact of extreme weather across Europe.
