Reuters
On July 17, a woman used a portable fan to cool down in a restaurant in Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
The massive heat wave that has hit Italy since mid-June is about to intensify as thermal air flows from Africa across the Mediterranean.
On Tuesday, 13 of the country's 27 largest cities were on “red” alert, according to the health ministry, indicating that hot and dry weather poses health risks even to healthy people. The number rose from 11 cities on Monday to five on Sunday.
Cities on “red” alert on Tuesday include Bologna, Florence, Milan, Naples, Palermo and Rome. Additionally, two cities are under an “orange” alert, meaning the hottest hours of the day pose health risks to infants, the elderly and people with existing health problems.
Naples and Palermo will drop to “orange” alert on Wednesday, while Viterbo, north of Rome, will move from “orange” to “red”.
Affected by the intense heat wave, water levels have dropped, causing water shortages in many areas across the country, especially in the south.
Italy has launched a special heat warning hotline – dialed by dialing “1500” – to provide the latest weather information and guidance on coping with the heat. Additionally, the Italian city has launched a new free smartphone app called Waidy Wow to help residents and visitors find the nearest free water fountain at any time.
Heatwaves in Italy and other parts of Europe have become so severe recently that the UK has issued a heat-related travel alert for citizens traveling to Italy or Greece.
This marks the third consecutive year that Italy has been affected by an intense and prolonged heat wave.
