Spain records 5,232 heat-related deaths in 2026, the highest figure since 2015

Published on

31/08/2026 - 15:10 GMT+2

Spain has recorded 5,232 deaths attributable to high temperatures so far in 2026, the highest figure since the Daily Mortality Monitoring (MoMo) system began in 2015. Of these, 2,147 occurred in August, according to the provisional data available on Monday.

MoMo, run by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), does not count deaths where heat has been individually certified as the cause of death. The system produces statistical estimates of mortality attributable to temperatures, based on mortality data and the effect of temperature.

The 2026 figures already exceed those for the two summers that until now had recorded the highest heat-related mortality since the series began: 2022, with 4,789 deaths, and 2023, with 3,035. The current numbers cover the period since 15 May, when the national plan to deal with the health effects of high temperatures is activated each year.