Spain has recorded 327 heat-related deaths since last Sunday, June 21st, according to the Spanish Health Institute Carlos III. The nation experienced its hottest June day on record on the 23rd, breaking multiple national and local temperature benchmarks.
The Spanish meteorological agency AEMET says the heatwave officially ended Thursday, but the crisis continues. Since the surveillance season began in mid-May, 611 deaths have been attributed to high temperatures.
The World Meteorological Organization warns the extreme heat will persist and shift toward the Balkans over the next two weeks.
“Prolonged exposure over several days, particularly when temperatures remain high at night, means the body enters each new day already stressed,” said Lachlan McIver of the WHO-WMO Climate and Health Joint Office.
The heat is now a continental emergency. France recorded its hottest day ever on Tuesday, with a 24-hour average temperature exceeding 30°C for the first time. The country has also seen 40 drowning deaths in the past week as people seek relief in water. Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland have all issued high-level heat alerts for major cities.