Italy has put 15 cities on high alert, including Rome, Bologna and Florence, as a severe heatwave continues to sweep across much of southern Europe, reports RTE.
The European Space Agency, whose satellites monitor land and sea temperatures, has warned that parts of Italy could experience the highest temperatures ever recorded on the continent.
The Italian Meteo Center warned Italians to prepare for “the most intense heatwave of the summer and also one of the most intense of all time”, reports RTE.
The mercury in Rome is expected to reach 40°C on Monday and 43°C on Tuesday, breaking a record of 40.5°C set in August 2007.
Temperatures in Sicily and Sardinia can reach 49 degrees Celsius.
Greece closed the ancient Acropolis for a second day during its hottest period with temperatures predicted at 41C.
ESA warned that Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Poland face extreme conditions.
Temperatures next week could break the current European record of 48.8 degrees Celsius recorded in Sicily in August 2021.
Italian meteorologists have dubbed the next phase of the European heat wave “Charon” – a reference to the spirit carrier of the dead in Greek mythology. This week, “Cerberus”, named after the three-headed dog of the underworld, is a success.
Last week, the world recorded its hottest day on record, which scientists attribute to a combination of long-term global warming caused by greenhouse gases with short-term increases in El Niño, a regular pattern of warm weather that originates in the Pacific Ocean.
The impact of extreme summer heat came under the spotlight this week in a study that found as many as 61,000 people may have died in Europe’s extreme heat last summer.
Professor Joan Ballester of Barcelona’s Institute of Global Health said France had learned lessons from the deadly heatwave of 2003, which could benefit countries such as Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal.
“There are measures that are relatively cheap, like for example, coordinating public entities also doing a census of vulnerable populations,” Prof Ballester, a co-author of this week’s study, said, reports RTE.
Authorities said a forest fire on the Spanish island of La Palma has forced the evacuation of at least 500 people, the first natural crisis on the island since the 2021 volcanic eruption.
The fire broke out this morning in El Pinar de Puntagorda, a forested area in the north of the Canary Islands.
Canary Islands president Fernando Clavijo said at least 11 homes were destroyed as the fire progressed.
“The number of people who need to be evacuated could reach1,000. It depends on whether we can bring these strong winds under control,” he told reporters in La Palma, reports RTE.
In Athens, authorities closed the Acropolis Hill, home to the Parthenon temple, which attracts millions of tourists every year, yesterday from noon to 5pm local time as temperatures rose above 40 degrees Celsius.
Doctors warn that poor elderly people with existing health problems are most at risk.
“They suffer from heart issues, chronic bronchitis, stroke, kidney failure. Most have a low socio-economic background and we know that in these cases people who don’t have air conditioning are more vulnerable. They face a higher risk and higher mortality upon arriving at an emergency ward,” said Angel Abad, from the office of sustainable development at Madrid’s La Paz hospital, reports RTE.
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