At least two people have died from the effects of heat in Spain, where temperatures in many regions have been hovering around 40 degrees centigrade (104 Fahrenheit) for almost a week, authorities said today.
A 40-year-old man died in the southern region of Andalusia after the heat aggravated his health problems, and a 69-year-old man died in Madrid from heat stroke.
Last summer, when a heatwave engulfed much of Europe, the death toll in Spain reached 141 according to Health Ministry figures, though patients' rights groups have put the figure as high as 2,000.
