Last July in Spain, there were 2,024 deaths attributable to high temperatures, almost double the 1,060 that occurred in July 2025, according to data from the Daily Mortality Monitoring System (MoMo) of the Carlos III Institute. In Catalonia, things have not been different, and during the last month, 544 people have died due to the heat, in this case, more than double the 251 who died in July 2025.
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In general, it can be said that last July was deadlier than the previous one in much of Spain. Only the Canary Islands, which recorded 9 deaths this July compared to 36 in July 2025, and Madrid with 121 in 2026 and 129 in 2025, have fewer deaths this year than last. Balearic Islands (0 and 0), Castilla-La Mancha (84 and 79), Extremadura (50 and 48), and La Rioja (15 and 11) are practically tied and almost repeat last year’s figures.
Deadly summer
The heat has already killed more Catalans to date than in the entire previous summer
In the rest of the communities, the increases in mortality this last July compared to the same month last year have been general and substantial. Andalusia went from 83 in July 2025 to 262 in July this year, Aragon from 36 to 109, Asturias from 16 to 33, Cantabria from 7 to 50, Castilla y León from 68 to 130, Valencia from 155 to 235, Galicia from 106 to 129, Murcia from 6 to 35, Navarra from 17 to 73, and the Basque Country from 11 to 140, the most spectacular, as it has almost multiplied the deaths of 2025 by 13.
At the Spanish level, the worst days were between July 8 and 14, inclusive. During these seven days, 823 of the 2,024 deaths recorded throughout the month were registered, 41%. The worst days were July 9, 10, and 11 with 134, 143, and 129 deaths respectively.
In Catalonia, the day in July that registered the highest excess mortality due to high temperatures was also July 10 with 31 deaths, followed by July 11 with 29 and July 12 with 26. If we look at the same seven days as in Spain, the total is 167 deaths out of the 544 total for the month, 30.7%.
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It should be remembered that on July 8 Barcelona broke its temperature record with a measurement of 40.9 ºC at the Fabra Observatory. That day Catalonia recorded 8 heat-related deaths and 9 the following day.
If the accumulated mortality data throughout the summer season are observed, at this point in August, the figures for heat-related deaths in Spain are already close to those of the entire summer of 2025. The accumulated deaths to date indicate that since May 15, 3,260 people have died across Spain, while last year, between May 15 and September 30, 3,832 died. In Catalonia, the situation is worse, and if 673 people died in the entire summer of 2025, by yesterday 730 had already died.
Catalonia is the autonomous community with the most accumulated deaths due to high temperatures so far this summer and by a wide margin compared to the second, which is Andalusia with 359. It is followed by the Basque Country with 351, the Valencian Community with 304, Galicia with 242, and Castilla y León with 237. Only the Balearic Islands have not recorded any heat-related deaths between May 15 and September 30.
Vulnerable
Women and those over 65 are the most vulnerable and the groups with the most deaths
Compared to 2025, Catalonia is not the only one that has already surpassed last year’s heat-related deaths at this point. This also happens in Andalusia, which already has 359 deaths compared to 303 in 2025; Aragon, 168 and 125; Asturias, 122 and 68; Cantabria, 118 and 36; Murcia, 39 and 22; Navarra, 133 and 73; Basque Country, 351 and 139; and Ceuta and Melilla, with 1 and 3 each.
Women have suffered the adverse effects of heat much more than men. Last July, 1,208 women died compared to 817 men. And so far this summer, high temperatures have taken the lives of 1,967 women and 1,293 men.
By age, the most vulnerable, by far, were those over 65 years old, who in July accounted for 1,944 deaths out of the total 2,024 deaths that occurred throughout Spain during this month. In this regard, and so far this summer season, 3,186 of the 3,260 deaths due to high temperatures also belonged to this age group.
In Catalonia, things are no different, and of the 730 deaths counted from May 15 until today, those over 65 years old are the vast majority, 657.
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