"Estimated 212 Deaths in Four Days"... Record-Breaking Heatwave Hits Spain

Average June Temperature Sets Highest Record Since 1950

Heatwave-Related Excess Deaths More Than Double Last Year

Scorching Heat Across Western Europe... Record High Temperatures Continue

It is estimated that more than 200 people have died due to the heat in Spain over the past four days, as the country continues to experience record-breaking heatwaves.

On the 21st (local time), citizens walking along a beach in the northern Spanish resort town of San Sebastian. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

On June 25 (local time), AFP reported, citing data from the Mortality Monitoring System (MoMo) under the Spanish Ministry of Health, that there were 212 excess deaths related to the heatwave between June 21 and 24, when the extreme heat was at its peak.

Excess deaths are figures calculated by comparing daily mortality statistics with external factors such as weather disasters and infectious diseases, estimating the number of deaths that exceed expected values for a specific period. This estimate is more than double the number from the same period last year (98). Previously, between May 16 and September 30 last year, there were 3,832 heatwave-related deaths in Spain, an 87.6% increase compared to the same period the previous year.

This week, Spain has been suffering from record-breaking heat. According to the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET), on June 22, daytime highs in some regions soared to around 45 degrees Celsius, and heatwave warnings were issued for parts of the north. On June 23, the daily average temperature on the Spanish mainland reached 28.17 degrees Celsius, the highest ever recorded in June since meteorological observations began in 1950. The average nighttime low also set a new record at 19.81 degrees Celsius, and in some regions, daytime temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.

The heatwave is not limited to Spain, as it is sweeping across Western Europe. In France, as of June 24, the national heat index set a new all-time high for two consecutive days since records began in 1947, with red heatwave warnings issued in 72 departments nationwide. In the United Kingdom, the highest June temperature in 50 years was recorded, prompting a red heatwave alert. It is estimated that about 94 million people in Europe are currently exposed to heatwaves over 35 degrees Celsius.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries to take emergency action, warning that extreme heat is threatening human lives. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated on X (formerly Twitter), "Temperatures in Europe are rising at about twice the global average, and both the frequency and intensity of extreme heatwaves are increasing."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.