Rome : The Italian Republic and the Balkans are facing the impact of an exceptional heatwave that has entered its second week, causing widespread disruption to daily life and a sharp rise in excess deaths, with the number exceeding normal levels by hundreds of cases, amid growing warnings over the risk of wildfires.
In Italy, authorities issued a red alert covering 22 cities, from Bolzano in the north to Palermo on the island of Sicily in the south. Luca Mercalli, President of the Italian Meteorological Society, said temperatures are expected to rise again on 5 and 6 July, affecting France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and parts of Britain. He added that expected rainstorms could help reduce the risk of wildfires, which is being intensified by the extreme heat.
In Croatia, red alerts were issued for the capital, Zagreb, and major tourist destinations including Split and Dubrovnik, while firefighters continue efforts to contain a wildfire on the tourist island of Vis with the support of four aircraft. In neighbouring Serbia, the weather service said temperatures would reach 39 degrees Celsius on Monday, while Albania has contained a wildfire that burned areas of olive trees and shrubs near the village of Klos.
In France, health authorities reported around 1,000 excess deaths, most involving older people, while funeral homes in Paris and its suburbs have been overwhelmed by the number of bodies. Scientists said the heatwave, which began on June 20, would have been virtually impossible without human-induced climate change, with the likelihood of extreme night-time temperatures more than 100 times higher than it was two decades ago.
Across the Atlantic, the US National Weather Service issued warnings of dangerous heat across much of the central and eastern United States ahead of the Fourth of July celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of independence. The agency warned of an increased risk of heat-related illnesses, particularly among vulnerable groups and those without adequate cooling.
The weekend also saw heat-related tragedies. Police in Cyprus found the bodies of two boys, aged eight and 10, inside a car in temperatures of 38 degrees Celsius, while two cyclists died during a Poland Bike Marathon event in the town of Marki near Warsaw.
