Spain’s recent heatwave most intense on record: agency

Madrid, Aug 25 (IANS) Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has said that the heatwave striking the country this August was the most intense on record, both in terms of temperatures and impacts.

According to provisional data, average temperatures during the August 3-18 period were 4.6 degrees Celsius above the seasonal norm, surpassing the previous record of 4.5 degrees Celsius set in July 2022, Xinhua News Agency reported.

AEMET noted that August 8-17 marked the hottest 10 consecutive days since at least 1950, while the first 20 days of August were the hottest for that period since at least 1961. The days of August 11, 16, and 17 rank among the 10 hottest days registered in Spain since 1941.

Since records began in 1975, Spain has experienced 77 heatwaves. Six of these saw temperatures exceed the average by 4 degrees Celsius, with five occurring since 2019, indicating a trend toward longer and more intense heatwaves.

According to the government’s Daily Mortality Monitoring System, this year’s heatwaves have caused 1,149 deaths.

In addition, the extreme heat coincided with Spain’s worst month of wildfires on record. Data from the European Forest Fire Information System show that 406,100 hectares of land, roughly 5.5 times the size of Singapore, have been burned.

The fires have claimed four lives and forced over 30,000 people to evacuate. Most evacuees have since returned, but many wildfires remained active as of Sunday.

Earlier, on August 22, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) urged global action to address the escalating health threats posed by extreme heat to workers worldwide.

The year 2024 marked the hottest one on record, with daytime temperatures exceeding 40 degrees centigrade, even 50 degrees centigrade in some regions, a phenomenon which is becoming increasingly common, according to a comprehensive report and technical guidance jointly released by the WHO and WMO.

“Heat stress is already harming the health and livelihoods of billions of workers, especially in the most vulnerable communities,” said Jeremy Farrar, assistant director-general for health promotion, disease prevention and care at the WHO.

Health risks, including heatstroke, dehydration, kidney dysfunction and neurological disorders, are undermining the long-term health and economic stability of workers worldwide, said the report, adding that approximately half of the global population has already experienced adverse effects from high temperatures.

Occupational heat stress has become a global challenge, not just confined to countries close to the Equator, as highlighted by the recent heatwave in Europe, said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett. “Protection of workers from extreme heat is not just a health imperative but an economic necessity,” Barrett said.

The guidance outlines a multi-stakeholder approach to mitigate risks, including developing national policies, prioritising vulnerable groups, as well as fostering collaboration among governments, employers, trade unions and health experts.

Meanwhile, a Barcelona-based climatologist said that the devastating wildfires sweeping across Spain this summer should serve as a warning to the rest of Europe about the rising dangers of climate change.

“This is a warning to countries that have traditionally enjoyed temperate, cool summers… because these conditions of intense heat will increase in latitude and will reach these countries,” Javier Martin-Vide, climatologist and professor of physical geography at the University of Barcelona, told Xinhua.

–IANS

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