Extreme Heat in Spain Results in Dramatic Rise in Heat-Related Mortality
Spain faces a dramatic increase in heat-related deaths and risks due to extreme heat in 2025.
- • 87.6% increase in heat-related deaths compared to 2024
- • 73% rise in extreme heat episodes reported
- • 95.98% of heat-related deaths occurred in those over 65
- • Effective monitoring and alert systems being implemented
Key details
On October 2, 2025, the Spanish Ministry of Health released a report detailing the severe health impacts of extreme heat during the summer months, revealing an alarming 87.6% increase in heat-related deaths compared to the previous year. This increase was largely attributed to a dramatic rise in extreme heat episodes, which totaled 870—a 73% rise from the 501 episodes recorded in 2024.
The report, analyzing data from May 16 to September 30, 2025, reported that 3,832 heat-related deaths were estimated this summer, compared to 2,042 in 2024. The majority of these fatalities, 95.98%, occurred in individuals over the age of 65, with a significant percentage over 85. In total, there were 5,178 risk alerts activated during this period, indicating that 20.6% of summer days experienced at least one area under thermal risk. More than two-thirds of the deaths were recorded in August alone, totaling 2,184 deaths.
The Ministry's report emphasized the vulnerability of certain populations, particularly those with pre-existing health conditions and socially disadvantaged individuals, such as seniors living alone or in non-air-conditioned environments. The fatalities also included younger individuals exposed to extreme heat in their occupational or leisure activities.
To combat this growing public health issue, the Ministry of Health noted improvements in their monitoring and alert systems, including adjusted thermal risk thresholds and the implementation of a free thermal alert service that sent out 101,685 SMS alerts to inform the population about local heat risks. These measures are designed to provide timely warnings and information to protect vulnerable individuals from heat-related health effects.
Given these concerning statistics, the government's emphasis on enhancing preventive actions and the importance of continuous public health education cannot be overstated as Spain navigates the implications of climate change and extreme weather patterns in the future.