Spain heatwave: Over 1,000 dead as country marks hottest first 6 months on record
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Spain heatwave: Over 1,000 dead as country marks hottest first 6 months on record")
Spain heatwave: Over 1,000 dead as country marks hottest first 6 months on record Photograph: (Credit: AFP)
Spain records its hottest first six months ever as heatwave fatalities surpass 1,028—more than double the death toll from the same period last year.
The European heatwave caused more than 1,000 deaths in Spain, officials stated on Wednesday (July 1). This coincides with the country recording its hottest first six months ever. According to the Carlos III Health Institute, heat-related issues during this period resulted in at least 1,028 fatalities. This toll is more than double the 407 heat-attributed deaths recorded in June 2025, which the national weather agency, AEMET (Agencia Estatal de Meteorología), noted was previously Spain's hottest June on record.
AEMET reported on X on Wednesday (July 1) that the first six months of 2026 were Spain's warmest first half of a year since records began, with average temperatures reaching 1.6°C above normal levels. The agency highlighted that the seven hottest first semesters have all occurred within the past decade. Furthermore, June 2026 was designated as the second-warmest June on record, featuring average temperatures that soared 3.2°C above the norm.
The severe heatwave, which began scorching Europe in late June, was identified by the World Weather Attribution group of scientists as the most intense ever recorded on the continent. The group stated that experiencing such extreme conditions in June would have been "virtually impossible" without the influence of climate change.
The extreme weather broke records across the continent. All-time temperature highs were shattered in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. Additionally, the United Kingdom and Switzerland broke their respective temperature records for the month of June. Meanwhile, France encountered record-breaking average temperatures and experienced its highest-ever nighttime temperatures.
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A severe, record-breaking heatwave in France, marking the hottest since 1947. The extreme weather has forced major Paris tourist attractions to close early. The decision has disrupted vacations for thousands of visitors. More than half of mainland France is currently under the highest weather alert level. Tourists are experiencing widespread disappointment as they cope with suffocating conditions on the streets, in the subway, and in non-air-conditioned rentals.
