Italy is currently in the grip of the first extended heatwave of summer, with the government placing 12 cities on ‘red alert’ for heat-related health risks.The Ministry of Health’s red alert is the highest possible level, indicating “high-risk conditions that persist for three or more consecutive days”.
The affected cities are Bologna, Bolzano, Brescia, Florence, Genoa, Milan, Perugia, Rieti, Turin, Trieste, Venice, and Verona.In all those areas, the red alert will remain in place until at least Sunday.
Unusually, the weather is generally milder in the south, with storms and showers were forecast across the southern coastal regions on Friday.“This is the first real wave of high-intensity heat extended across most of Italy in 2020, which will last for the whole week, also affecting the southern regions,”.
The government has set up a dedicated helpline, reachable by dialing 1500 in Italy, to offer advice on coping with the heat & information on healthcare services.
