Spain is in shock. More than 1,100 people have died because of an extreme heatwave that lasted 16 long days and ended only this Monday, according to Spain’s Carlos III Health Institute.
👉 From August 3 to 18, the country recorded 1,149 more deaths than usual.
👉 Experts say these deaths were most likely caused by the very high temperatures that scorched Spain during the heatwave.
The health institute explained that they used a system called MoMo (Mortality Monitoring System). This system compares today’s numbers of deaths to past records. If the number is much higher than normal, and the weather was extremely hot, they can estimate that heat was a major factor.
⚠️ However, MoMo cannot directly say, “This person died from heat.” Instead, it gives the closest and most reliable estimate of how many people may have died because of the heat.
This is not the first time. In July, Spain also had very hot weather. During that time, the institute estimated 1,060 excess deaths linked to heat—57% more than the same month last year.
🌍 Climate scientists warn that global warming is making heatwaves:
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More frequent (happening more often)
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More intense (hotter than before)
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Longer lasting (days or even weeks of extreme heat)
Spain’s tragedy shows the real danger of climate change—heat is not just uncomfortable, it can be deadly.
