Spain records highest number of heat-related deaths for May
People protect themselves from the sun with umbrellas during a spring heatwave in Bilbao, Spain, on May 28, 2026
REUTERS/Vincent West
Spain recorded the highest number of heat-related deaths in the month of May since records began in 2015. The information was released by the Ministry of Health this Wednesday (3).
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According to data from Spain's daily mortality monitoring system, May 2026 recorded 101 deaths attributable to high temperatures, the highest number for the month since the series began in 2015.
The number is 3.6 times the average for May of the last decade, highlighting the significant impact of extreme heat on health, even before the start of summer in the northern hemisphere, reported the Ministry of Health.
In Spain, between 2015 and 2025, 27,564 deaths were attributed to high temperatures, the year 2022 was the worst on record, with 4,789 deaths, followed by 2025, with 3,832.
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Increasingly frequent heat waves in Europe have caused increasing economic and social impacts, amid the increase in extreme temperatures recorded even before the official start of summer in the northern hemisphere. Countries such as Spain, France and Italy face difficulties in adapting infrastructure, public services and working environments to an increasingly severe climate scenario.
The intense heat is already directly affecting sectors such as agriculture, construction, transport and logistics. Data released by RFI shows that, above 30°C, workers' productivity drops by around 3% for each additional degree of temperature. In addition to the economic effects, European authorities are also observing increased pressure on healthcare systems, especially among the elderly and more vulnerable populations.
Experts interviewed by the report state that Europe is still unprepared to face episodes of prolonged heat. Most buildings were designed to retain heat during the winter, while adaptation measures, such as thermal insulation, expansion of green areas and urban modernization, advance at a pace considered insufficient given the intensification of extreme weather events.
*With information from Reuters and RFI.
Source: G1