The extreme temperatures in Valencia last year caused an unprecedented number of deaths.

The Carlos III Health Institute in Madrid reports that 516 deaths in 2024 will be caused by high or low temperatures, a 42% increase compared to 2023.

In the winter of 2018, 205 people died from the cold. The summer saw 268 deaths, which is almost the same as the total for 2021.

READ MORE

The average Valencian Temperature in 2024 is 1.4C above the average.

According to the Institute, as of February 6 this year, 138 people had died due to winter cold.

It started producing reports, known as MoMo, about deaths related to cold and high temperatures in 2004 after the previous summer when 70,000 people had died due to the heat – including 45,000 in just August.

This excess mortality was particularly prevalent in nursing home that were not adapted to high temperatures two decades ago.

Climatology head at state forecaster Aemet in Valencia, Jose Angel Nuñez, said that extreme temperature warnings are important.

“Alerts are a good idea because they can be used to help people with past pathologies who could potentially be affected,” said he.

Climate change is a serious issue and we need to take action to mitigate its effects. We can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as the increase in hot days is due to human activity.

Nuñez added that adaptation has become more prevalent and noted that air conditioning units have spread across Europe and Spain to counter the effects of extreme heat.