Due to a sustained heatwave, all 27 major cities across Italy included in national high-temperature monitoring were under the highest-level red alert as of the 6th, according to the Ministry of Health.
This is the first time Italy has issued a red heat alert for all monitored cities.
The Italian Ministry of Health stated that a red alert signifies a sustained heat emergency, which poses health threats not only to vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with chronic diseases, but may also affect healthy individuals.
The meteorological department of Italy predicts that this round of high temperatures will last at least another ten days, with maximum temperatures in some regions reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius. According to alert information released by the Ministry of Health, except for the northern city of Bolzano, other major cities are expected to remain under red alert on the 7th.
Italy is currently experiencing the fourth large-scale heatwave of this summer. The persistent high temperatures have already caused multiple fatalities. High heat, combined with drought and wildfires, has impacted economic activities, with agriculture being particularly affected.
A report released on the 5th by the World Wide Fund for Nature shows that since the beginning of this summer, the area burned by wildfires in Italy has reached about 70,000 hectares.