Italy Places Most Cities on Highest Heat Alert

Rome, Italy has placed nearly all of its major cities on the highest heat alert due to a severe heatwave that has been affecting the country.

According to the Health Ministry, the temperature in Italy is expected to reach 30 degrees Celsius on Monday, prompting officials to issue the alert on Saturday.

Out of the country’s 27 major cities, only two – ‘Boot’ and the southern region of Calabria and Sicily – have not been placed on high alert. The rest, including Rome and Milan, were put on high alert on Saturday.

The heatwave, which hit Western Europe earlier last week, has been affecting Central Europe severely and has now started to move into Italy.

According to the Health Ministry, the high heat alert means that the weather could have a harmful impact on the health of even ‘healthy and active individuals’, not just vulnerable groups such as the elderly, young children, and people with chronic illnesses.