Heat wave in Italy triggers highest alert in 23 cities
By Sunday, 23 of 27 major cities are expected to be under level 3 warnings as temperatures climb into the upper 30s.
Italy raised its heat wave alert to the highest level in 23 major cities ahead of the weekend, as temperatures were expected to reach the upper 30s Celsius. Italy's Health Ministry on Friday placed 19 cities, including Roma, Milan, Napoli, Bologna and Venesia, under red alert. By Sunday, four more cities — Catania, Genoa, Palermo and Trieste — are projected to follow, leaving only Reggio Calabria and Messina outside the top level. Level 3 warnings mean the heat can harm even healthy people, not just the elderly, young children and those with chronic illnesses. The fourth heat wave of the year has also been linked to deaths, wildfires in Puglia and disruptions to agriculture, including an earlier grape harvest in Piemonte.