130 deaths due to high temperatures in Catalonia

Catalonia hit extremely high temperatures of up to 43ºC from June 21 to June 25, attributing to 130 deaths. 

According to data from the MoMo Daily Mortality Monitoring System of the Carlos III Health Institute, there were only 12 deaths in the first three weeks of June, before the heat struck. 

Some 76 of the heat related deaths were of people aged 85 and over, over half the total deaths. 

Data from the health institute, in their 11 years of operation, has never recorded such a high death count for the month of June.

In Spain as a whole, 626 people died during the week due to the heat. 

The heat wave started on June 21, recording temperatures between 40ºC to 43ºC. 

These temperatures are the second highest ever recorded before Sant Joan, on June 23.