The institute has stressed that these figures are a statistical estimate and not a record of official deaths
\n MADRID
\nPrime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Wednesday that \u201cmore than 500 people\u201d died during a 10-day heatwave in Spain, one of the most intense ever recorded in the country.
\nSanchez cited figures released Monday from the Carlos III Health Institute which estimates the number of heat-related deaths based on the number of excess deaths when compared to the average in previous years.
\nThe institute has stressed that these figures are a statistical estimate and not a record of official deaths.
\n\u201cDuring this heatwave, more than 500 people died because of such high temperatures, according to the statistics,\u201d Sanchez said. \u201cI ask citizens to exercise extreme caution,\u201d he said, noting that the \u201cclimate emergency is a reality.\u201d Spain was gripped by a heatwave affecting much of Western Europe which pushed temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in some regions last week, sparking dozens of wildfires.
\nThe blazes forced the evacuation of thousands of people and claimed at least two lives \u2014 that of a firefighter and a shepherd who got caught up in the flames in northwest Spain.
\nThe July 9-18 heatwave was one of the most intense ever recorded in Spain, meteorological agency AEMET said Wednesday.
\n\u201cAt a minimum, it is the third most intense heatwave in terms of its geographic extension and duration\u201d since modern records began in 1975, AEMET spokeswoman Beatriz Hervella said.
\nOnly two other heatwaves lasted longer \u2014 one in July 2015 that lasted 26 days and another in August 2003 that went on for 16 days, she added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The institute has stressed that these figures are a statistical estimate and not a record of official deaths MADRID Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Wednesday that \u201cmore than 500 people\u201d died during a 10-day heatwave in Spain, one of the most intense ever recorded in the country. Sanchez cited figures released Monday from the Carlos […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":272483,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-272465","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n