At least 74 people died as a result of extreme heat in Malaga province last month in what was the third-hottest July on record.

Official data from state weather agency Aemet shows the province recorded an average temperature of 28C in July 2026, some 2.6C above the historical average.

It represents the third-highest monthly average since records began in 1961.

Mortality data revealed that 74 people died from heat-related causes in Malaga last month, compared with fewer than 20 over the same period last year.

Meteorologists have branded this July as an exceptionally hot month across southern Spain.

Aemet’s provincial director, Jesus Riesgo, said it was ‘very hot’, aided by repeated episodes of the so-called terral.

The the hot, dry inland wind pushed temperatures above 41C on multiple occasions.

The prolonged heat also prevented temperatures from falling in the evenings, with tropical nights offering little relief for residents.

According to the emergency services, the lack of overnight cooling significantly increases health risks by preventing the human body from recovering after prolonged exposure to extreme heat.

The dramatic rise in temperatures was mirrored by a sharp increase in heat-related deaths.

According to the Daily Mortality Monitoring System (MoMo), coordinated by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Malaga recorded 74 heat-related deaths in July, around five times more than in July 2025.

Across Andalucia, 262 people died from causes linked to extreme heat during the month, making it the second hardest-hit region in Spain, behind only Catalonia.

The figure is more than triple the 83 heat-related deaths recorded across the region during July last year.

Nationwide, Spain registered a provisional 2,026 heat-related deaths in July, almost double the 1,060 recorded during the same month in 2025.

Older people accounted for the overwhelming majority of victims.

Of those who died, 1,944 were aged over 65, while 1,249 were aged over 85, highlighting the particular danger posed by prolonged heatwaves to elderly and vulnerable people.

Health experts have urged residents to take the extreme temperatures seriously, warning that dehydration can rapidly become life-threatening during prolonged periods above 38C to 40C.

Doctors say people should drink water regularly before feeling thirsty, as the body can lose up to one litre of fluid per hour in extreme conditions.

Failure to replace lost fluids and salts can cause blood pressure to fall, place strain on the cardiovascular system and, in severe cases, lead to organ failure.

Medical professionals say adapting to increasingly frequent heatwaves is no longer simply an environmental issue but one of the biggest public health challenges facing Spain and Europe.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.