Italy places all major cities on red alert as heatwave grips Europe

Italy placed all its major cities under the highest heat alert Thursday as a blistering heatwave gripped Europe, setting a national temperature record in Austria, fuelling wildfires in France and disrupting energy and transport systems across the continent. Read moreEurope's record-breaking heat sparks wildfires, drought in France, Greece and the UK The extreme weather has pushed temperatures above 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in several countries, prompting health warnings for millions of people. Scientists and officials warn that such events are becoming more frequent and intense as the climate warms. The current heatwave has exposed vulnerabilities in public health systems, power generation, transportation networks and tourism infrastructure, forcing governments and businesses to adapt to more frequent periods of extreme weather. Read more'I spent the night coughing': Wildfire smoke leaves Bordeaux residents struggling to breathe Italy’s Health Ministry placed all 27 cities monitored under its national heat surveillance system on red alert Thursday – the first time this year that the entire network has been under the highest warning level simultaneously. The alerts stretch from T...