Record-Breaking Mortality Statistics
According to provisional data from Spain’s Daily Mortality Monitoring System (MoMo), the estimated number of deaths related to high temperatures has climbed to 5,232 since the national plan for preventing the health effects of heatwaves was activated on May 15, 2026. The system, managed by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), does not base its figures on death certificates listing “heatstroke” as the direct cause. Instead, it uses statistical models to estimate excess mortality by analyzing the correlation between temperature fluctuations and death rates.
This figure significantly surpasses records from previous years. The previous high for heat-related deaths was in 2022, with 4,789 fatalities, while 2023 saw 3,035. The 2026 data marks the deadliest summer in nearly a decade.
Monthly Breakdown of Summer Fatalities
The death toll this summer has remained consistently high. In July, the estimated number of deaths was 2,025, far exceeding the 1,060 recorded in the same period of 2025. This makes July 2026 the second-deadliest July since records began in 2015, surpassed only by the 2,217 deaths in July 2022.
The lethal impact of the heat continued into August. As of the latest report, the provisional estimated death toll for August has reached 2,147. This figure is still being updated and typically takes about a week to be finalized. The current number is already very close to the record for the deadliest August, which was 2,172 deaths in August 2025.
Elderly Population Disproportionately Affected
Data analysis reveals that the impact of the heat has been most severe on the elderly population. Of the total 5,232 estimated deaths in 2026, a staggering 5,048 were individuals aged 65 and over. Those aged 85 and above accounted for 62% of the total deaths, with 3,256 fatalities. Furthermore, in terms of gender distribution, approximately 60% of the deceased were women.
Record Temperatures and Historical Context
Behind these grim mortality figures are exceptionally extreme weather conditions. According to Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), July 2026 tied with 2022 as the hottest July on record, while June 2026 was the second-hottest June ever. Forecasters predict that the unusually high temperatures may persist into early September.
Although the 2026 heat-related death toll sets a new record for the MoMo system since its inception in 2015, it still falls short of the historic 2003 European heatwave, during which an estimated 13,000 people died from the heat in Spain. It was this crisis that directly prompted the Spanish Ministry of Health to establish the current national plan for the prevention and control of health effects related to heatwaves.
