Spanish heatwave total reaches seven

The death toll from a heat wave sweeping southwestern Spain rose to at least seven this weekend, while officials warned that temperatures hovering around 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 Fahrenheit) threatened to intensify raging forest fires.

Two men, ages 71 and 77, died in the southern city of Cordoba on Saturday night, according to the Health Service of Andalucia.

In the coastal city of Huelva, a 39-year-old man died after being found in the street in a coma next to his bicycle.

Another 53-year-old man also died.

The fatalities follow three other heat-related deaths on Friday and Saturday in Granada, Cordoba and Seville. In addition, authorities were investigating whether a construction worker’s death was heat-related.

Another 12 people were hospitalised in Andalucia with symptoms of heat stroke, including a homeless man who had been living in a car, the Health Service said.

A heatwave has seared the regions of Andalucia and Extremadura since last Thursday, with temperatures reaching 46 degrees Celsius (115 Fahrenheit) on Friday and hovering around 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 Fahrenheit) on Sunday.

But the figures are similar to those of previous summers and should not cause alarm, said a Health Service spokeswoman.

The heat wave has intensified forest fires in five southern and western Spanish provinces since Thursday.

On Sunday, news reports warned that forest fires raging in Portugal – the worst fires to hit the country in 20 years – were spreading to the neighbouring Spanish region of Extremadura.