Major Blackout Strikes Iberian Peninsula, Heatwave Deaths Soar in Spain
Madrid, Spain – A widespread blackout impacted Spain, Portugal, and briefly southwestern France on April 28th, disrupting internet, telephone, train services, and causing widespread power outages.European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) officials are calling the event “first of its kind,” attributing it to “cascading overvoltages” within the electrical grid.
“This is new territory,” stated an ENTSO-E representative, identified as Cortinas, during a preliminary report presentation. “this is also why we need a bit of time to be sure that we analyze what’s going on and what would happen, but it is a first of its kind.” He cautioned that a complete global assessment is ongoing, acknowledging experts don’t yet have data from every country. Overvoltage occurs when electrical voltage exceeds safe levels, potentially overloading equipment due to factors like power surges, lightning, or equipment failure.
simultaneously occurring, Spain is grappling with a dramatic increase in heat-related deaths. Between May 16th and September 30th, 3,832 deaths were attributed to heat, an 87.6% increase compared to the same period in 2023. The Spanish Health Ministry reports that nearly two-thirds of these fatalities involved individuals over 85, and almost 96% were over 65.
These figures are estimates derived from the Mortality Monitoring System (MoMo), which utilizes statistical models and weather data from AEMET, the national meteorological agency, to assess excess mortality likely linked to heat. While MoMo cannot definitively confirm a direct causal link, it provides the most reliable estimate of heat-related fatalities. The ministry also reported 25 confirmed deaths from heatstroke during the same period.
Many victims had pre-existing chronic illnesses, were exposed to high temperatures during work or leisure, or lacked access to air conditioning. This year, Spain experienced its hottest summer as records began in 1961, with an average temperature of 24.2C. AEMET data shows 33 heatwave days during the 90-day summer period, including a 16-day heatwave in August that fueled wildfires resulting in four deaths and record land destruction. That August heatwave was “the most intense on record,” averaging 4.6C above normal. nine of Spain’s ten hottest summers have occurred in the 21st century.
The extreme heat experienced in Spain this year mirrors trends observed globally, with Britain, Japan, and South Korea also recording their hottest summers on record, according to their respective weather agencies. Scientists continue to warn that human-driven climate change is driving more frequent and intense extreme weather events worldwide.
