Italy Heat Alert Covers Nearly All Major Cities

Italy heat alert levels are rising fast as a new heatwave pushes nearly every major city in the country onto the highest warning tier. Health officials say 19 cities, including Rome, Milan, Venice and Naples, were already under red alert on Saturday, and by Monday almost all of Italy’s major urban centers are expected to be included.

Temperatures reached the mid-30s Celsius in many places on Saturday, and authorities are warning that the danger now extends beyond people usually considered most vulnerable. That includes the elderly, very young children and those with chronic illnesses, but officials say even healthy and active people face risks during the hottest part of the day.

In its latest bulletin, the Italian health ministry said 25 of the country’s 27 major cities will be on red alert by Monday. The ministry said only Reggio Calabria, at the southern tip of the mainland, and Messina, across the water in Sicily, are expected to remain on amber alert, the second-highest level.

The health ministry is telling residents in affected areas to limit time outdoors, avoid direct sunlight during the hottest hours between 11:00 and 18:00, stay inside when possible and drink plenty of fluids. The heat is being driven by a subtropical anticyclone from North Africa that is strengthening over the Mediterranean, adding pressure to a region already strained by severe summer weather.